written by

Steven Blier

Artistic Director, NYFOS
Program Notes: Eros & Co

Program Notes: Eros & Co

My cell phone dings—a message from Bénédicte Jourdois, who joins me every year to mastermind NYFOS’s annual residency at Caramoor. Our texts are often a bit—what’s the word?—unbridled, and they have been known to make me laugh so hard that I attract stares on the 104...

read more
NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 5

NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 5

During a five-day residency, Friday can feel a bit sad (“It’s almost over”); it can feel unsettling (“Some things just aren’t ready”); it can be anxiety-producing (“We have four hours to knock this show into shape”). This year we managed to avoid all those negative...

read more
NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 4

NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 4

It has been wonderful to work as a group and to let all the singers—and Amber, our pianist—watch each other’s coachings. Bénédicte and I hope that they enjoy being privy to their colleagues’ progress, and that they relish having a front-row seat at the Steve and Béné...

read more
NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 3

NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 3

Wednesday has a special significance in a week-long residency. On Monday you do reconnaissance. On Tuesday you start to figure out where the doors and windows are, which latches are open, and what’s movable. On Wednesday, having a sense of how far each artist can...

read more
NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 2

NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 2

I am not quite sure how it happened, but the day started with a conversation between me, Bénédicte, and the cast. It began with them debriefing us excitedly about their previous night out at a restaurant with a patron, and then veered off into a variety of unexpected...

read more
NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 1

NYFOS@Caramoor 2024: Day 1

I rolled into the Music Room at Caramoor, after spending an hour riding up to Katonah with my confidante and co-director Bénédicte Jourdois, and I thought of that silly kid’s song, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands [clap clap].” I know that it’s light...

read more