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Event
A Wagner Matinee
"A Wagner Matinee" is an abstract rendering of Willa Cather's short story of the same name, which chronicles a homesteader's journey from the isolation of the Nebraska plains back to her urban birthplace, Boston.
At a concert, she is engulfed by the fullness of an orchestra for the first time in 30 years. As the music swells, so do her memories: a black pond, a vast expanse, and her abandoned dream of becoming a concert pianist. When the crowd clears, she is forced to ask the question: "How do I go back?"
The evening-length work will be performed by Laurie Berg, Sevin Ceviker, Maya Krishnasastry, Josh Rowe and Alicia Weill. The piece will include recordings of Clara Schumann and Richard Wagner, as well as live, original music by Matt McBane performed by McBane and Michael Cassedy. McBanes composition takes inspiration from the famous opening chords of Wagners Prelude to Tristan und Isolde (referenced in Cather's short story). The dance will also include video by Drew Blattman and Jessica Lacombe, and photographs by Nebraska artist Michael Farrell.
"A Wagner Matinee" began as a rumination on the idea of returning home. "In the process of making this piece, I've been exploring that inexplicable longing that we feel for the past, the nostalgia we hold for even the harshest parts, and the possibility of discovering a lost passion in the rubble," says Diffenderfer.
PROJECT HISTORY: This project was developed in work-in-progress showings at the 92nd St Y and Movement Research at Judson Church, and has been supported by a Field Space Grant Residency, the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Humanities Council (through the Willa Cather Foundation), and numerous individuals. Following a month-long period of research in the Willa Cather Archive at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, a solo version on A Wagner Matinee was presented at the Willa Cather Spring Conference in June, 2008, in the opera house Cather attended in her youth. The New York performances will be the culminating event of this project.
OH DEAR HISTORY: Formed in 2007, OH DEAR DANCE THEATRE tells stories through gesture, image and sound. Under the direction of Laura Diffenderfer, the troupe creates work that explores identity and history through performance. Diffenderfer's work has been seen in venues such as Danspace Project, Judson Church, The Chocolate Factory, WAX, The Flea, University Settlement, Merkin Concert Hall, the 78th Street Theater Lab, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Interborough Repertory Theater, the Red Cloud Opera House in Red Cloud, NE and the Contemporary Art Center in North Adams, MA.
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LocationMerce Cunninham Studio
55 Bethune Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10014
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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