Pandora’s Gift
Saturday, May 16, 8pm
& Sunday, May 17, 4pm
Z Space
450 Florida Street, San Francisco
Program Notes | Pandora’s Gift Creation Blog
Fifty singers explore the beauty, terror, and promise of the Pandora myth through music, poetry, drama, and movement. This choral performance art piece features the Bay Area’s premiere contemporary chamber choir, Volti, as well as the precocious talents of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. Led by Artistic Director Robert Geary, both groups will dance and sing music of Volti’s composer in residence, Mark Winges, with a libretto by San Francisco poet Denise Newman. Erika Chong Shuch’s stage direction brings the drama to life, and lighting by Allen Willner helps drive home the powerful impact of this unique multimedia work for voices.
The program begins with world premieres of works on subjects of mortality and controversial art by two young composers, Ryan Brown and LJ White, winners of Volti’s young composer competition. The audience is invited to a post-concert Inter-ception—an interactive reception with refreshments in which they can share reactions and observations on the performance, and ask questions of the creative team.
Don’t miss the birth of a new type of contemporary vocal music performance in a dramatic space with visceral impact and immediate audience feedback. There is one thing left at the bottom of the box—experience Pandora’s Gift to learn what it is.