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HER | alive.un.dead: World Premiere at Pao Arts Center

  • Pao Arts Center 99 Albany Street Boston MA 02111 United States (map)

A surrealist sci-fi drama that explores multigenerational and familial cultural conflicts.

ABOUT

This world-premiere media opera follows two Chinese-American women who meet in the afterlife and explore conflicts between their Western upbringing and Chinese culture.

With music and libretto by Emily Koh and stage direction by Mo Zhou, the opera is approximately 90 min in duration and sung in English, Mandarin and Teochew with projected subtitles.

DATE/TIME

Friday, May 12, 2023, 8:00PM **

Saturday, May 13, 3:00 PM **

Saturday, May 13, 7:30 PM

Sunday, May 14, 3:00 PM

LOCATION

Pao Arts Center, 99 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02111

The theater is ADA Accessible.

ADMISSION

$15-55

For box office assistance, please email ashley.yung@bcnc.net.

**On Friday, May 12 there will be a post-show discussion with creators and artists from the community directly after the performance.

On Saturday, May 13 there will be a pre-show Tactile Tour (2:00 PM start time) and a post-show discussion with creators and ensemble members directly after the performance.

The tactile tour is created for members of the blind and visually impaired community, and all are welcome! Pre-registration is required for the tactile tour and can be secured through the virtual box office link or by emailing ashley.yung@bcnc.net.


ENSEMBLE

Sol Kim Bentley, soprano as HER1

Nina Guo, soprano as HER2

Jeannette Lee, mezzo-soprano as Mum

Jiayin Shi, baritone as Dad

Lilit Hartunian, violin

Stephen Marotto, cello

Philipp Stäudlin, saxophone

Mike Williams, percussion

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Emily Koh, composer and librettist

Mo Zhou, Stage Director

Saskia Martinez, Scenic Designer

Lindsay Hoisington, Costume Designer

Marie Yokoyama, Lighting Designer

Nuozhou Wang, Projections Designer

Mike Williams, Ensemble Director

Keithlyn Parkman, Associate Producer

Sarah Schneider, Artistic Programs and Production Manager

Aliana de la Guardia, Artistic Director

Support for this opera includes a Grants for Arts Projects Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Live Arts Boston Grant award from The Boston Foundation and their partners at the Barr Foundation and Dunamis, a grant from Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership’s funds from the Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research, and an award from the New Music USA Creator Development Fund. 

The commissioning of Emily Koh for HER | alive.un.dead: a media opera received funding from OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

The development of this world-premiere opera has been in partnership with the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts, and Trinity Episcopal Parish of Newton Centre.