Guerilla Opera Announces Their Ninth Season!

BOSTON, MA (July 20, 2015)—In their ninth season, Guerilla Opera will premiere two operas: Troubled Water by Mischa Salkind-Pearl and libretto by Frederick Choi in September 2015 and Beowulf by Hannah Lash in May 2016, as well as engage in an artistic residency with New Music Brandeis at Brandeis University in April 2016.

The season opens with a Boston composer’s operatic debut¬—the world premiere of Troubled Water by Mischa Salkind-Pearl, libretto by Frederick Choi, and stage direction by American Repertory Theater Director Allegra Libonati, based on the short life of writer Natsuko Higuchi in late 19th-century Japan.

Troubled Water plays for five performances: Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, 2015, at 8 p.m., Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 2 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, September 24 and 25, 2015 at 8 p.m. An audience talk-back will directly follow the Sunday, September 20, 2015 performance. All performances are in The Zack Box Theater at The Boston Conservatory at 8 The Fenway, Boston, MA. Tickets for Troubled Water become available Wednesday, September 9 at 12 p.m. and are $15 for general admission and $10 for senior citizens. All tickets are subject to a $2 fee. Tickets are free for students, as available, day of with a valid ID. Free student tickets must be claimed at the door via student rush. For ticket purchases, visit bostonconservatory.edu/tickets or call The Boston Conservatory Box Office at (617) 912-9222 (Wed-Fri, 12-5 p.m.).

About the Opera This world premiere opera follows the short life of writer Natsuko Higuchi in late 19th-century Japan. Her brief career hinges on her personal and professional connections, and the constant to gain the support of those surrounding her. As she descends into poverty and her relationships end, her writing begins to authentically reflect her world. By weaving in scenes and characters from Higuchi’s published stories, Troubled Water brings her desires into stark clarity.

Troubled Water is 70 minutes in duration, sung in English and scored for soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, violin, clarinet, saxophone, and percussion.

Cast, Ensemble & Creative Team Troubled Water features the following cast members: mezzo-soprano Sophie Michaux as Natsuko Higuchi, soprano Aliana de la Guardia (General Manager) as Midori/Oriki/Okyou, and baritone Brian Church as Nakarai/Nobu/Tomonosuke/Kichizou. The instrumental ensemble features clarinetist Amy Advocat, saxophonist Kent O’Doherty and percussionist Mike Williams (Co-Artistic Director). Guerilla Opera’s creative team features: stage director Allegra Libonati (A.R.T.), resident scenic designer Julia Noulin-Merat (Director of Design and Production), lighting designer Daniel Chapman and resident costume designer Neil Fortin.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Live Streamed Opening Night Performance (Friday, September 18, 2015, 8 p.m. EST) Guerilla Opera will live stream the world premiere performance of Troubled Water by Mischa Salkind-Pearl on Thursday, September 25 at 8 p.m. EST from The Zack Box Theater at The Boston Conservatory. The live stream can be viewed at https://livestream.com/guerillaopera/TroubledWater, and is free of charge to watch.

Talk-Back with the Creative Team (Sunday, September 20, 2015) Join in a conversation with the composer, director, cast and creative team from Troubled Water directly following the performance on Sunday, September 20, 2015. Talk-backs are included with ticket purchases and are held in The Zack Box Theatre at The Boston Conservatory.

This production is made possible through the generosity of Timothy and Jane Gillette and The Boston Conservatory Ensemble-in-Residence program.

For more information, visit Guerilla Opera online at www.guerillaopera.com. Like Guerilla Opera on Facebook at facebook.com/guerillaopera, follow them on Twitter using #NewOpera and #TroubledWater at @guerillaopera and on Instagram at @guerillaopera.

ADDITIONAL 2015-2016 SEASON PRODUCTIONS AND EVENTS

Beowulf by Hannah Lash (Friday-Sunday, May 20-22 and Friday & Saturday, May 27 & 28, 2016) Beowulf, with stage direction by Andrew Eggert, is a modern-day adaptation of the well know epic poem, in which Beowulf is a doctor caring for his elderly mother and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder upon his return from a recent war. He discovers that his mother is being abused by the nursing home staff and removes her. Although he is determined to care for her himself, she begs him to help end her life. All performances of Beowulf are in The Zack Box at The Boston Conservatory.

Brandeis University Residency (Saturday, April 16, 2016) Guerilla Opera participates in an artistic residency with New Music Brandeis at Brandeis University to produce a semi-staged performance of short chamber operas by Brandeis graduate composers. This includes workshops lead by the performers, stage director Nathan Troup, and design team and culminates with a performance during the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts in Slosberg Hall at Brandeis University.

ABOUT GUERILLA OPERA Guerilla Opera is an experimental opera company whose mission is to commission new chamber operas written specifically for their ensemble of artists, and to perform in intimate theatrical settings without the use of a conductor or formal music director. Visit our website at guerillaopera.com for more information about our ninth season!

Press and Industry Opening: Final Dress Rehearsal (Thursday, September 17, 2015, 8 p.m.) Guerilla Opera invites reviewers and all members of the press to attend their final dress rehearsal of Troubled Water on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 8 p.m. in The Zack Box Theater at The Boston Conservatory in Boston, MA. Contact General Manager Aliana de la Guardia,directly at alidelaguardia@guerillaopera.com or call (201) 952-6735 (mobile) to secure your admission to this private event.