Portrait of Lavinia Williams, the title character of Madame Theremin
One week from this coming Thursday, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) will host the first complete workshop performance of a new opera. The opera is Madame Theremin, composed by Kennedy Verrett setting a libretto by George M. Kopp. The title refers to Lavinia Williams, who was the wife of Leon Theremin, the inventor of the electronic instrument that bears his name.
Williams was a Principal Dancer with the American Negro Ballet Company, which was based in New York in the Thirties. The libretto is a tale of the Harlem Renaissance, involving music, dance, technology, politics, and Haitian Vodou. For this workshop the title role will be sung by soprano Ariel Emma, and tenor Eric Levintow will portray Theremin. Other vocalists for the workshop will be mezzo Melissa Bonettio Luna (a Vodou priestess), bass-baritone Patrick Blackwell as Noble Washington (based loosely on Paul Robeson), and Sara Couden as a Soviet official. A variety of other roles will be taken by tenor Joe Meyers and baritone Daniel Cilli. Mary Chun will conduct, and accompaniment will be by pianist Kymry Esainko.
The performance will take place in the SFCM Ann Getty Center, which is in the building at 50 Oak Street. It will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, and last for about 90 minutes. The event will be followed by an audience feedback session and an informal reception. There will be no charge for admission, but a suggested donation of $20 will be appreciated. Tickets will be available by sending electronic mail to cblalock@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment