Director Retires; Symphony Space Moves Ahead

Sometimes knowing where to go for a cultural event in New York is a no-brainer--Carnegie Hall for music; City Center for dance, and so forth. But there’s one small venue that actually has a lot of those things, and more--Symphony Space, on New York’s upper west side (Broadway and 97th Street; (212) 864-5400.
As Symphony Space embarks on its fall season, it does so with the recently announced resignation of its artistic director and one of its founders, Isaiah Sheffer, coloring its season. Sheffer (who is as much an institution as the institution itself) has been instrumental in plotting the direction of Symphony Space, and indeed helped design what is probably the institution's most widely known and beloved feature—“Selected Shorts,” story readings by well-known actors that are also carried on Public Radio International. Sheffer’s tenure has also been associated with “Bloomsday on Broadway,” the annual reading of James Joyce’s “Ulysses”; and “Wall to Wall,” celebrations of composers ranging from Bach to Sondheim.
Sheffer will continue as the host of “Selected Shorts,” and fans should take note of the upcoming ”Isaiahfest” planned for June.
In the meantime, the season is underway, with its roster of the expected (family programs like their “Just Kidding” extravaganza on Nov. 1) and the more unusual (a high-definition screening of the second part of “The Ring Cycle,” “Die Walkure,” on Oct. 11).
So take advantage--and enjoy Sheffer's legacy.