Up in Bolton Landing, The Sembrich continues to spotlight New York’s place in music history with Riding the Rails, a studio talk and lakeside tea. Happening Thursday, July 10 at 2 PM, the event revisits soprano Marcella Sembrich’s 1909 transcontinental concert tour. This was the first national solo tour of its kind in the U.S.
Written and presented by Caleb Eick, The Sembrich’s Director of Institutional Advancement, the studio talk dives into a wild year of Sembrich’s life on the road. Audiences will hear about everything from cross-country rail strikes to lost jewelry, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it meant to tour as a world-renowned artist in 1909.
Sembrich was a major figure in New York’s opera scene, with more than 400 performances at the Met, and later taught at Juilliard and Curtis. Her legacy helped shape how artists move, perform, and connect with audiences across the country. Today, The Sembrich home serves as a museum and performance venue, preserving her legacy through exhibitions, concerts, educational programs, and special events, all set in a beautiful natural environment.
After the talk, guests are invited to an elegant tea service on the museum’s lakeside grounds featuring blends from Saratoga Tea & Honey Co. Rarely displayed items from The Sembrich’s collection, including pieces of the soprano’s personal jewelry, will also be on view.
All proceeds go toward future programming at The Sembrich. The full Gilded Age festival has already begun, and will end August 30th. For more information and tickets visit their website.
The rest of your music news is available right now on NYS Music.
Watch a quick overview below of the beautiful Sembrich.
→ Continue reading at NYS Music
