THE WALTZ Reading Set for April 6 at The Hill-Stead Museum

On Saturday, April 6 at 7:00 p.m., The Hill-Stead Museum will present a sold-out world premiere reading of "The Waltz," a play based on the life and times of French sculptor Camille Claudel (1864-1943). This original work - conceived, written, and directed by local playwright Carolyn Kirsch - explores Claudel's tempestuous relationship with sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), her ongoing struggle to be recognized in 20th-century Parisian art circles, and the question of her descent into madness. The five-person reading, underscored by the music of Claude Debussy, will be held in Hill-Stead's Drawing Room, surrounded by Impressionist masterpieces by Monet and Degas. The cast features Jill Giles, Carolyn Kirsch, Debra Walsh and Nancy Wolfe, with Phill Rittner at the piano.

A gifted sculptor, Camille Claudel left a magnificent artistic legacy. She became Rodin's studio assistant ca.1884, evolving into his model, collaborator, muse and mistress, and was described by contemporary novelist and art critic Octave Mirbeau as "a woman genius." As a female artist in the late Victorian era, however, she faced great struggles - from being barred as a late 19th-century woman from enrolling in the École des Beaux-Arts, to censorship of some work as inappropriately sensual, to the difficulty of establishing her own artistic identity in the shadow of the great Rodin. Though she destroyed much of her work around 1905, about 90 sculptures still survive, many of them now in the collections of prestigious museums, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Musée d'Orsay. Claudel died in an asylum, having been committed by her family some 30 years prior, her "insanity" in dispute to this day.

Playwright Carolyn Kirsch has performed in 15 Broadway shows. She was a member of the Original Company of "A Chorus Line," and appeared in "CoCo" with Katharine Hepburn and "Dear World" with Angela Lansbury. This production is presented in conjunction with Herstory Theater, a non-union, professional theater company based in Connecticut, providing educational and inspirational performances for schools, museums, historic societies and more (www.herstorytheater.com).

A National Historic Landmark and an Official Project of Save America's Treasures, Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT, is a stop on the Connecticut Art Trail and a member of Connecticut's Historic Gardens. The 1901 period rooms, boasting Impressionist masterpieces and original furnishings, are open for tours Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. The last tour of the day begins at 3 pm. Grounds are open daily 7:30 am-5:30 pm. For collection and program information, browse www.hillstead.org or call 860.677.4787.

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