On November 12, author Mark Roessler will celebrate the release of his new book, Fairsted, with a big screen tour and discussion of Olmsted’s parks at the Academy of Music in Northampton. Roessler will be accompanied by renowned recording artist, cellist, and composer Gideon Freudmann.
Tickets go on sale October 1.
“Fairsted” is the name Frederick Law Olmsted gave to his home and offices in Brookline, MA, just a short walk from the Boston park system he designed, known as the Emerald Necklace. Mark Roessler’s book, Fairsted—published by Levellers Press, October 2025—provides a full panoramic tour of the grounds and offices of the historic property that is now managed and maintained by the National Park Service.
The book also includes two essays: “How Olmsted Parks Work” and “Olmsted’s Lost Years.” In addition to Central Park, Olmsted and his sons designed hundreds of parks across America. Connecting urban dwellers to wilderness settings was the stated goal, but his parks had an ulterior motive.
By connecting strangers to one another in a natural setting, he hoped to strengthen American democracy itself. The book explores how this goal was accomplished, where the inspiration to make park-building his life’s work and lasting legacy came from, and how that vision can help us now.
Accompanied by electric cello, Olmsted Panoramic will present these core ideas by bringing the audience on a guided tour of several Olmsted parks, projected on the Academy’s silver screen. The book will be available for purchase after the presentation.
Mark Roessler is a writer, photographer, and designer who creates interactive tours of Olmsted parks and other historic spaces. His work appears on his website, panorambles.com and in a series of books from Levellers Press, including A Panoramic Tour of the Northampton State Hospital. He was formerly Managing Editor of the Valley Advocate and has been a student of Olmsted for decades. Fairsted is his fifth book.
Gideon Freudmann performs and records as CelloBop (CelloBop.com). With a cello and an array of technology at his toe tips, Freudmann’s music is transporting, often surprising, and always engaging. He has produced countless albums, performs regularly (often providing live, improvised soundtracks to silent films), and his music has been heard in films, television, and NPR. His influences are clear—blues, rock, Bach, jazz, and folk—but his sound is unlike anything you’ve likely heard before. Freudmann now lives in the Pacific Northwest, but for many years, he was based Hadley, MA and performed throughout New England.
November 12, 2025
7:00pm
The Academy of Music,Northampton, MA
Ticket price: $15 ($7 for seniors/students/children)
Learn more: www.panorambles.com
Also check out other Entertainment events in Northampton, Arts events in Northampton, Music events in Northampton.
