Round-Up at BAM Harvey Theater

Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens puts his expressive voice and exuberant orchestrations in the service of unabashed wonder at the world. At BAM, he has serenaded both the heavens (Planetarium, 2013 Winter/ Spring) and the highway (The BQE, 2007 Next Wave) and, on his albums, everything from the Chinese zodiac to the state of Illinois.

In this BAM commissioned work, shown on the Steinberg Screen, Stevens turns his gaze to the rodeo, in all its bull-riding, calf-roping, and barrel-racing glory. With slow-motion footage shot by sibling filmmakers Aaron and Alex Craig at the 2013 Pendleton Round-Up in Oregon—and featuring Stevens on electronics and new-music ensemble Yarn/Wire performing piano and percussion—Round-Up is a musical and cinematic portrait of a classic American tradition.