This is not necessarily new news, but I have been so excited about this (as in, “where can I find a really cheap plane ticket today?” excited), that I had to share:
Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, frequent Walker performers and artistic directors of the Improbable Theatre company, debut their remount of Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha today at the Met in New York (the original production opened last year at the English National Opera).
Improbable Theatre brought their low-tech, improvisational exploration Animo to the Walker last season (other Walker performances include The Hanging Man and Shockheaded Peter). There is an article in the New York Times today about Satyagraha that includes a video with footage from the production and interview excerpts with McDermott and Crouch. Having seen Animo, I was particularly taken with how they have expanded their imaginative work with newspaper and other found mediums into the large and formal scale of opera.
Since I once broke my wrist falling whilst on 5′ tall stilts, my mind was blown by the gigantic and gorgeous backpack puppets in the image above and in the NYT video. Many of the performers are on stilts while operating these puppets and –this is important– the Met stage slopes downward toward the orchestra pit. I’ve seen this stage up close and in person and I am terrified just thinking about the performers’ feat.
So watch the video and if you happen to have an extra plane ticket to NYC in your back pocket, let me know.
Image via Sara Krulwich/The New York Times
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