Copious Notes

Musicians in the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Singers and UK Chorale settle onto the stage of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the Our Lincoln performance Feb. 2, 2009. Photo by Jonathan Palmer.

The presentation of Our Lincoln at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in February was undeniably a big deal for Kentucky arts and humanities.

Artists who live and work here were presented on one of the nation’s most ­prestigious stages along with hometown kids who have made good and a few international stars, such as violinist Mark O’Connor. A production conceived and produced in Central Kentucky went to an international arts showplace and acquitted itself admirably.

I sat with a Washington cameraman who went on at length about how great the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra is. It was one of numerous anecdotes about seasoned Washington arts observers who were impressed with Our Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln played by Jim Sayre of Lawrenceburg, left, and Henry Clay played by George MGee of Georgetown put the finishing touches on their costumes outside the entrance to the Kennedy Center.

But it is understandable that this might be lost on people who weren’t among the 1,463 people who saw the ­performance, given while the state was in the throes of an ice storm. ­Overseeing recovery ­efforts forced Gov. Steve Beshear to cancel his plans to attend.

But now Beshear and anyone else who would like to see the show can catch it in Michael Breeding’s PBS-quality DVD, which has just been released.

After raising the money to get the program to ­Washington, the Kentucky Humanities Council had to go back to the well for an ­additional $6,500 to produce the DVD, with the total costs to be recouped through sales.

What we can now see is that Breeding and his crew captured the proceedings in stunning detail, with shots that take the viewer onto the stage with the performers and also relay the grandeur of the occasion.

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Michael Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., will speak at ArtsPlace, 161 N. Mill St., at 4 p.m. Aug. 12. His appearance is part of the Kennedy Center’s Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative, which is looking at how the arts are responding the economic crisis in terms of fund raising, budgeting, marketing and board development.

Michael Kaiser.

“Each locality is dealing with its own unique and specific challenges, and there is no better way to understand each region than through in-person visits,” Kaiser said in a news release from LexArts, which is sponsoring the appearance along with Arts Kentucky and Actors Theatre of Louisville. “Communicating in person allows us to be more effective in advising organizations in need.”

Kaiser is visiting all 50 States as part of the initiative, in an effort to spark conversation and consult with arts leaders across the country. He will speak in Louisville Wednesday morning and then come to Lexington. The ArtsPlace visit will start with a meet-and-greet at 3:30. The event is free. To register, visit ArtsKy.org.