by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on January 31, 2012
Stabat Mater Fabulosa
The Morningside Opera company offered up a quite singular interpretation of Pergolesi‘s Stabat Mater in their Fabulosa rendition on January 26th at Dixon Place, which proved, at once, a scholarly as well as a quite literal undressing of the original. Composed in 1736 – the year of Pergolesi’s death at the august age of 26 – the piece has been an iconic work in the canon of western sacred music ever since and has enjoyed an unbroken record of performance for nearly three hundred years. This surely says something about a work, to have endured so vigorously the vagaries of artistic, musical, and religious change, never mind or dare one say, taste. Which in many ways explains its attraction for Morningside Opera, who see their role as boundary-pushers wishing to invigorate dialogue between traditional and new modes of the form. Their stripped down presentation was both scholastically dense as well as visually provocative.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on August 12, 2011
I like nothing better than being naughty at the Opera. Neophytes might consider this akin to making out in the last pew of church but, actually, it’s not. I mean, really. Generally, no matter which opera you’re attending there’s all this drama unfolding in front of you … all this intense emotion, this deep passion, this hear break, this “I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN” melodrama. How could it not inspire you to get a little frisky during intermission?
Well, okay, usually it’s kinda impossible to get frisky, but a gal can dream. But wait – hold the phone. What’s this? Morningside Opera is actually encouraging frisky behavior with their latest opera, The Judgment of Paris. Just look at that poster! It’s hotter than a Russ Meyer film. I, of course, will be there. Let’s not forget these are the folks who supplied the fabulous burlesque performer Medianoche to do a strip tease during their Diva Search Karaoke – so you know they’re serious when it comes to sizzle. I chatted with Amber Youell who is a performing in Judgment of Paris, while also serving on Moringside Opera’s board of directors. Listen as she tells me how they intend to push the boundaries and seduce their audience loud and clear. Continue Reading…
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on May 13, 2010
COMPANY XIV (photo by Cristina Ramirez Hirst)
Can you die from too much beauty? Probably not. But if you could, I came close to doing so as I watched Company XIV “A mixed media Neo-Baroque dance-theatre company” spin Le Cirque Féerique (The Fairy Circus) into being in front of my dazzled eyes last weekend. The show consists of a series of fairy tales choreographed and directed by Austin McCormick, written and adapted by Austin McCormick and Jeff Takacs, and conceived by Austin McCormick and Zane Pihlstrom and runs till June 6th.
In an unassuming building on Bond Street in Brooklyn where Company XIV makes their home you will find the most unusual matrix of Music, Mystery, and Magic. That’s right, I said Brooklyn. And hold on to your hats, folks, because in the next few paragraphs I’m also going to say things akin to “Frog Prince”, “Madonna”, “Cinderella”, “Carmen”, and “Balloons”. Yes – it’s THAT kind of show.
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