How about this for the ultimate “spa” experience:  listening to a performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir while sitting under the stars and towering pines of New York’s Saratoga Spa State Park.  The Saratoga Springs area has the only active mineral geysers east of the Mississippi River and was highly regarded as a place of rejuvenation during the nineteenth century.  On June 27, the Choir and Orchestra hope to continue the tradition by presenting a refreshing mix of inspirational, folk, and Broadway music at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, often referred to as “SPAC.”

One of very few concert venues located in a state park, SPAC serves as a cultural hub for the Hudson Valley as well as Connecticut, Vermont, and even neighboring Canada.  The outdoor amphitheater where the Choir and Orchestra will perform seats 5,200 guests under shelter and an additional 20,000 people on the surrounding lawn.  Folks attending the concert may want to arrive early and spend some time exploring the picturesque trails, spouting geysers, and classic architecture in the park.

Summer home to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Ballet, SPAC is also a popular stop for national recording artists. Sting and  Yo-Yo Ma, who performed alongside the Mormon Taberncale Choir at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, have both held major concerts there.  And claiming the record for most performances at SPAC—that’s nineteen, if you’re counting—is none other than James Taylor, who performed with the Choir and Utah Symphony at the 2013 Tanner Gift of Music concert.

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center will celebrate its 50^th anniversary next year, and the city of Saratoga Springs is already flying banners on downtown streets announcing its centennial this year. The Choir and Orchestra are excited to be onstage in the Saratoga area at such a historic time. Soon to commemorate 150 years of performances, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir enjoys being part of history as it’s made!