Vail: It's More Than SnowBy Joyce DaltonWhen snow starts falling in the West, ski enthusiasts from Brazil to Canada, Japan to France head to Vail, Colorado. Culture vultures, however, needn’t wait for a signal from nature. This famed Rocky Mountains resort has become a year-round center for the arts. From mid-December to mid-March, the annual Budweiser Street Beat music series holds forth each Wednesday evening outdoors in Vail Village. Musicians who have taken part include Coco Montoya’s blues guitar, The Radiators with New Orleans style Rock n’ Roll and Super Diamond, billed as the “Quintessential Neil Diamond Cover Band.” Performers change year by year, but you can count on good music and a fun time. Both winter and summer see a variety of shows, ranging from music to drama, at neighboring Beaver Creek’s Vilar Center for the Arts. Slated for August 2002 are the Vail Valley Performing Arts Academy in “The Music Man;” Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater’s “Side Man,” and “Shakespeare in Briefs! A Comedy Revue” by the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Undoubtedly, the stars (artistically speaking) glitter most brightly during the summer months. Orchestras, dancers, singers and actors, many world-renowned, take the stage at the Vilar Center for the Arts and the Vilar Pavilion’s Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, while artists set up outdoor exhibits and nationally recognized chefs hold demonstrations, tastings and competitions at various venues in both villages. It’s definitely a great time to experience this popular resort. Events get under way with Hot Summer Nights, free concerts, which take place on Tuesday evenings at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Dixie Chicks, Roomful of Blues and Young Dubliners are some of the stars that have performed in past years. For the 2002 season, Hot Summer Nights will run between June 18 and July 30.
Next, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival claims pride of place, featuring music for all tastes from pops to chamber music. 2002 marks the festival’s 15th season and some 60 concerts will be performed by more than 40 ensembles. Multiple performances each week between June 29 and August 4 will take place in various spots, but primarily at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and the Vilar Center for the Arts. Such international stars as mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, pianists Anne-Marie McDermott and Boris Berezovsky, flutist Eugenia Zukerman and violinist Chee-Yun will be featured. This is the only summer festival in the U.S. to boast resident orchestras, in Vail’s case, the Colorado Symphony Philharmonic, the Rochester Philharmonic and the Dallas Symphony. In 2003, the New York Philharmonic, the oldest orchestra in the country, will begin a three-year commitment as resident orchestra. The Shanghai String Quartet serves as Ensemble-in-Residence. In addition to evenings devoted to such classical composers as Prokofiev, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Berlioz, the schedule includes a performance of show tunes sung by stars of the Broadway stage, string combos and Los Comparos di Nati Cano, a mariachi band. While a few performances are free, most range from $12.50 for lawn seating to $40. Several events are designated as Soiree Series programs when valet parking, cocktails and dinner combine with the evening’s concert at a cost of $200. These are held at various lodges and private residences.
Arguably the premier event of the summer season, the Vail International Dance Festival attracts major dance companies and individual artists. Since its inception in 1989, the dance festival has developed a special relationship with Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Many Bolshoi stars have taken part in the festival and the 2002 calendar includes performances by Dimitry Gudanov, a designated Principal Dancer with the company. Gudanov is but one of the dance luminaries slated to perform August 2 & 3, 2002 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater as part of the Paul Mitchell International Evenings of Dance. Others include Luigi Bonino, partner over the course of his career to such famous ballerinas as Dame Margot Fonteyn, Natalia Makarova and Alessandra Ferri; Colleen Farrell, an Irish dancer whose credits include “Lord of the Dance;” Colin Dunne, an Irish dancer who appeared in “Riverdance”; Chan Hon Goh and Geon van der Wyst, principal dancers with the National Ballet of Canada, and Bridget Briener, a Principal Dancer with Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet. Also scheduled are performances by American ballroom dance champions. According to Dance Festival director, Katherine Kersten, public demand for their return has been “huge.” The 2002 season marks the 10th anniversary of the Paul Mitchell series, a favorite part of Vail’s summer dance scene. Since 1998, the festival has commissioned a new work each year. Not surprisingly, these premiere performances, part of the Choreographers Collection, have become festival highlights. On August 7, 2002, the Vilar Center for the Arts will host the world premiere of a ballet by Damian Woetzel, Principal Dancer of the New York City Ballet. August 8 will be a preview evening, with presentations by two companies: Lizt Alfonso DANCE CUBA! and “From Paris with Love” starring Agnes Letestu and Jose Martinez. Last season’s preview evening, which included excerpts by the little-known Shanghai Dance Ensemble, left viewers scrambling for the few remaining tickets to the company’s full program a few nights later. The 2002 preview performance is likely to do the same. All performances by DANCE CUBA! and the Paris Opera Ballet will take place at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. The Lizt Alfonso DANCE CUBA! company was created in 1991. Combining Flamenco and Afro-Cuban rhythms with classical dance, the company is made up exclusively of young female dancers. Its production of “Sincerely, F.G.L.,” choreographed for the centennial of the birth of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, has been internationally acclaimed. Festivalgoers can enjoy an evening of DANCE CUBA! on August 10 or a matinee performance on August 11. On August 9, Agnes Letestu and Jose Martinez will head an ensemble of 14 soloists from the Paris Opera Ballet in an evening combining contemporary repertory works with scenes from such classical favorites as “Don Quixote” and “Raymonda.” In 1987, Letestu was invited by none other than Rudolf Nureyev to join the Paris Opera Ballet and 10 years later, was elevated to “Danseuse Etoile” (Star Dancer). Her frequent partner, Jose Martinez, joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1992 and in a few years, was named “Danseur Etoile.” Both made their first U.S. appearance at the Vail International Dance Festival in 1993 and demand for their return has been strong. Another staple of the dance festival, Dance Dialogues, is comprised of five informal lectures and demonstrations led by festival artists on a variety of topics. Examples from past seasons include discussions on partnering, dance in the cinema and the corps de ballet. Admission is free. Few would deny that fine dining is an art form. Vail and Beaver Creek agree. The annual springtime Taste of Vail combines special dinners and luncheons at village restaurants with wines from America’s most noted vintners, plus guest chef appearances and seminars by well-known sommeliers. April 2002 saw four days of such culinary events as a Burgundy Luncheon, a Mountaintop Picnic and Winemakers Dinners. Each year, Beaver Creek celebrates things tasty in a variety of ways. Scheduled for June 2002, a pastry competition; an outdoor culinary festival with demonstrations, entertainment, wine booths and tastings from various restaurants, and a pastry festival extravaganza featuring desserts prepared by a number of local and guest chefs. Of course, good food in pleasant surroundings is a year-round pastime in Vail Valley. A few of the many fine choices include
Toscanini: This Italian restaurant, overlooking Beaver Creek’s ice-skating rink, offers an interesting selection of antipasti, pastas, meat and fish dishes accompanied by fine Italian wines. Tempting samples include “Strozzapretti,” hand-rolled “priest’ stranglers” served with sweet white corn, Blue Lake green beans and seasonal wild mushrooms; “Gnocchi con Cinghiale,” pan-fried butternut squash dumplings with braised wild boar, onions, green apples and roasted chestnuts, or “Agnello,” grilled Australian lamb loin wrapped in grape leaves, applewood bacon braised greens, creamy polenta and natural juices. Swiss Chalet: Under the same ownership as Vail’s Sonnenalp Resort, this attractive restaurant, featuring both indoor and deck seating in an Alpine country inn setting, is especially known for its fondues, raclette and Wiener schnitzel. The five fondue choices include the Alpler, a blend of imported Swiss cheeses melted in white wine and spiced with garlic and Kirschwasser; fondue Bourguignonne, cubed beef tenderloin seared in hot oil at the table and served with a variety of dipping sauces, and for dessert, imported hazelnut chocolate melted with fresh fruits and two kinds of sponge cake for dipping.
Dusty Boot: For casual dining, The Dusty Boot Steakhouse, in Beaver Creek, is just the place. Steak may be part of the name (and there’s everything from T-bone to filet mignon and prime rib to justify it), but you’ll also find chicken, fish, all sorts of burgers and sandwiches, chili and Mexican fare. For dessert, you could opt for the Dusty Boot special sundae (vanilla and chocolate ice cream atop a hot brownie covered with chocolate and caramel sauces, whipped cream and chopped nuts) or build your own sundae from a mad assortment of sauces, chocolate chips, nuts and sprinkles. For more information:www.vvf.com Images by Joyce Dalton |
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Musical entertainment takes place right on the streets of Beaver Creek in the person of Helmut Fricker who strolls the village clad in traditional Bavarian costume, stopping frequently to blast forth on his 10-foot-long alpenhorn. 
Perhaps this is a good time to rave a bit about the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, an ideal venue for viewing stars both above and on stage. Architecturally perfect for its mountain setting, the stage’s “backdrop” is a natural scene of pines, large stones and flowers. When the spotlight plays over the area, it becomes quite magical. The wooden roof sheltering the seats is constructed in sections, allowing glimpses of the night sky to peek through and giving an illusion of floating in space. Behind the theater, a spacious, well-groomed lawn slopes upwards, providing an idyllic spot for stretching out on a blanket and taking in the sights and sounds on the stage. This is an especially popular choice for families with young children. 
Each summer, more than $1 million is spent on fresh flowers throughout Alpine-style Vail Village. And that’s not including the more than 3,000 plant varieties at the Betty Ford Alpine Garden. At 8,200 feet, this is one of the highest botanical gardens in the world. A stone walkway winds through a rock garden complete with waterfall, a Mediterranean garden and a perennial garden. For a wealth of botanical information, join the scheduled walks led by volunteers. Otherwise, stroll at your leisure or simply sit on one of the wooden benches and enjoy the scene. 
For a different nature-intense experience, take a Jeep excursion along mountain back roads through forests of spruce, pine, fir and aspen and across meadows filled with wildflowers. There’s even the possibility of some wildlife viewing. Or climb into a chairlift at Beaver Creek or a gondola at Vail and spend the afternoon on the many hiking trails or stretched out in a deck chair staring at the mountains and watching mountain bikers seemingly head straight off a cliff into oblivion.
LaTour: Designed with three intimate dining rooms, this French restaurant has been part of the Vail scene for some 30 years. When chef/owner Paul Ferzacca and his wife took over, however, they set out to create a brighter, more open feel. A small dining area was added, separated from the terrace tables by folding glass doors that can be opened in fine weather. The contemporary French menu is complemented by a wine list that twice has won Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence.” Among the tasty entrees, try roasted Dijon crusted chicken breast served with white truffle honey or the hazelnut crusted venison with sweet potato puree and hazelnut beurre noisette. 
Wildflower: Whether dining indoors or on the terrace, you’re sure to agree that this restaurant, situated in The Lodge at Vail, is well named. Flowers abound, adding a special touch to the already beautiful surroundings. Even the menu is lovely to look at and of course, is covered with flowery images. Since diners do not live by décor alone, be assured that the chef also lives up to his name, presenting such entrees as hazelnut crusted ahi tuna loin, Colorado wild mushroom risotto, green peppercorn and herb crusted swordfish and tomato seed crusted ostrich. The wine list has been selected with equal care.