News from the Division of Languages and Literature

Writer in Residence Francine Prose discusses her latest novel, Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, as well as love, storytelling, and how to read like a writer.

"Many writers—myself included—attempt to solve this quandary by telling themselves that writing truthfully and well, or trying to write truthfully and well, is itself a political act," writes Prose.

Bard College professor Robert Kelly has been appointed Dutchess County’s first poet laureate. Kelly will read two poems at the State of the County Address, which County Executive Marc Molinaro is scheduled to deliver on Wednesday, January 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie.

Robert Kelly, Asher B. Edelman Professor of Literature and codirector of the Written Arts Program, has been named Dutchess County’s first poet laureate.

Bard MFA alumna Robin Coste Lewis discusses her book Voyage of the Sable Venus, which won the National Book Award last year.

Eight Bard alumni/ae are involved in the production of Bieber Bathos Elegy, created by Felix Bernstein '13, which will premiere at the Whitney Museum in New York City on January 15. This hybrid work by New York–based artist, poet, and writer Bernstein combines musical performance, poetry, cabaret drag, and opera to explore the concept of bathos—the failure to achieve pathos—and illuminate issues of identity and persona through the character of Justin Bieber. The work is directed by Gabe Rubin '14 with assistant director Clara Lipfert MFA '18, composed by Rron Karahoda '13, with production design by George Dupont '14 and sound design by Cammisa Buerhaus MFA '18, and features musical performances by Leila Bordreuil '13 and Lazar Bozic '14.

John Ashbery tells the story of his lifelong fascination with French culture, and how the arts, literature, and people of that country influenced his work as writer and translator.