Ben Black | Performance Schedule

Ben Black's Schedule

NEW YORK PERFORMANCES
Moon in the Bucket, a new opera by Garrett Fisher
November 7-8, 2008 (Fri-Sat) 8 PM ($18/$12) Judson Memorial Church, New York, NY

A wandering priest employs the moon’s reflection to release a pair of ghosts from their haunted past. Inspired by Zeami’s fourteenth-century Noh play Matsukaze (“wind in the pines”), Moon in the Bucket is an oratorio-style “mood poem” that combines a mix of Japanese modes with Western-style harmonies to create an exquisite sound unique to Fisher’s compositions.

The piece begins with an oboe solo melody that echoes
throughout the piece, and is inspired by Fisher’s work with oboist Taina Karr (“amazingly expressive” –Classics Today). Chords played on Indian harmonium (Garrett Fisher) serve as a launching pad for the soaring melodic lines of Early-music vocalists Linda Strandberg, Ben Black, and Kristin Ramer. An electric 6-string fretted bass (Greg Bagley) adds lute-like counterpoint as well as the playful koto-like pitch-bending, and is punctuated by Taiko and other percussion (Dean Moore).

The opera incorporates choreography by longtime collaborator Christy Fisher, a Seattle-based choreographer whose influences range from Laban technique to Butoh. Her work (“wonderfully
archetypal” –The Seattle Weekly; “Kernels of real power” —The Seattle Post-Intelligencer) has been shown in New York, Israel, as well as venues along the West Coast. Costume design is by Tori Ellison, masks by Louise McCagg (“beautiful and eerie” –The Seattle Weekly), direction by Ken Cerniglia, and music direction by Miah Cawley.

The opera was originally produced in 1997 in collaboration with choreographer AC Petersen.

_________________________________________________________________________

West Coast Performances

Psyche, an opera with dance, theater & puppets

May 16-17, 2008 The Chapel (Seattle)
[work-in-progress presentation]:
$15/$12 at door ($13 online) http://www.fisherensemble.org/tour2008.html

August 9-10, 2008: Cal Anderson Park Outdoors (Seattle)
October 17-18, 2008: The Chapel (Seattle)

In 2008, the Fisher Ensemble will premiere Psyche, a new opera by Garrett Fisher. Psyche is a spectacle of site and sound - combining direction/dramaturgy (Ken Cerniglia) choreography/co-direction (Christy Fisher), as well as full puppets and costumes (Tori Ellison). The opera is based on the Greek myth of Psyche and tells the story of wrathful Aphrodite and her quest to ruin Psyche, a mortal who is considered to be more beautiful than even the Greek Goddess herself. As with Garrett's other works, Psyche aims to explore similarities and differences between Eastern and Western traditions by combining such diverse elements as haiku (librettist/poet Thom Schramm), an eclectic ensemble (gongs, taiko, Indian harmonium, recorded beats, viola), melodies and rhythms that incorporate Indian classical traditions (2 vocalists, 2 actors), stylized movement (3 dancers), and puppets inspired by various Asian traditions.
line
Performers include: Linda Strandberg (Aphrodite), Ben Black (Eros), the Vanessa De Wolf (the Sister), Gary Zinter (the King), Ines Andrade, Mary Cutrera, and Archana Kumar (the Chorus), Dean Moore and Stan Shikuma (Percussion), Esther Sugai (Indian harmonium, Steven Cresswell (Viola), and Greg Bagley (Bass ).
line

The piece will be presented by City of Seattle Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs as part of 4Culture's SITE-SPECIFIC/2008 King County Performance Network. Psyche has also received support from the 4Culture Special Projects Program.

The piece is also sponsored by the Cal Anderson Park Alliance.Cal Anderson Park Alliance