SHELTER Presented Alongside Series of Free Nuclear Events as Part of Tapestry's Summer Season Today
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 12, 2014
Tapestry, in co-production with Edmonton Opera, present the Toronto premiere of SHELTER by Julie Salverson and Juliet Palmer, today, June 12-15 at the Berkeley Street Theatre.
Flirting with the dangerous beauty of science, SHELTER, a darkly comic chamber opera, maps the journey of a family struggling to be ordinary in the atomic age. Under the enlightened guidance of physicist Lise Meitner, Thomas and Claire fall madly in marriage, and birth a glowing daughter called Hope. Hidden away for 21 years, Hope finally emerges to find a mysterious man at her door with a destiny to fulfill.
Hailed as an "intriguing, darkly comic fable" by the Wall Street journal and a "...remarkably provocative production" by the Calgary Herald, SHELTER received its world premiere in Edmonton in 2012, ten years after Julie and Juliet met at Tapestry's composer/librettist laboratory.
Along with SHELTER, Tapestry is presenting a series of free Nuclear events to enhance the theatre-going experience, including Atomicalia, a curated exhibition of material culture items featuring atomic symbols and labels; and an explosive Symposium of pre-show talks.
Atomicalia exhibit seeks to discover how pervasive and successful nuclear images, iconography, themes, and identities have been at entering our daily lives, often without conscious recognition. The exhibit demonstrates how we have domesticated nuclear imagery in our patterns of consumption from the early Cold War through to the present. Atomicalia will be exhibited throughout the run, in the Berkeley Street Theatre lobby.
From June 13-15, the Atomic Symposium takes place with free pre-show talks:
A Jumble of Paths: a reading with Julie Salverson and Peter C. van Wyck, with John O'Brian
For nearly a decade Salverson (playwright and drama professor) and van Wyck (writer and professor of communication studies) were travellers together on the highway of the atom. What emerged was a dialogue between disciplines.
Responding to the Nuclear Present I with Dr. Robert Jacobs and Dr. Mick Broderick with John O'Brian
Professors Jacobs and Broderick have been working for the last five years on the Global Hibakusha Project, assessing the cultural and social effects of radiation exposures on communities, families and individuals. This work has led them to conduct oral histories in radiation affected communities around the world, primarily nuclear weapon testing sites, nuclear production sites, and nuclear power plant accident sites.
Responding to the Nuclear Present II with Gordon Edwards and Robert del Tredici, moderated by Blake Edwards
This session will feature a mathematician and a photographer - both of whom have been working on nuclear issues for over 30 years - addressing how they take measure of the contemporary nuclear predicament.
Tapestry presents
A Tapestry and Edmonton Opera co-production
SHELTER
Libretto by Julie Salverson • Music by Juliet Palmer
Directed by Keith Turnbull
Christine Duncan, mezzo-soprano (Claire), Teiya Kasahara, soprano (Hope),
Keith Klassen, tenor (Pilot), Andrea Ludwig, mezzo-soprano (Lise Meitner),
Peter McGillivray, baritone (Thomas)
Leslie Dala, Music Director
Jo Leslie, Movement Director
Sue LePage, Stage and Costume Design
Robert Thomson, Lighting Design
Ben Chaisson, Video Design
June 12-14 7:30pm, June 15 2pm
Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs, 26 Berkeley Street
Ticket prices range from $55-$75 + HST and can be purchased in person at the Canadian Stage Box Office at 26 Berkeley Street, by calling 416.368.3110 or online at CanadianStage
For more information visit TapestryOpera
SHELTER Events
June 12-15, Berkeley Street Theatre Lobby
Atomicalia Exhibit
Friday, June 13, 5-6:30pm
A Jumble of Paths: a reading
Julie Salverson and Peter C. van Wyck, with John O'Brian
Saturday, June 14, 5-6:30pm
Responding to the Nuclear Present I
Dr. Robert Jacobs and Dr. Mick Broderick with John O'Brian
Sunday June 15, 11:30-1pm
Responding to the Nuclear Present II
Gordon Edwards and Robert del Tredici, moderated by Blake Edwards
Special thanks to the generous support of Concordia University and Queens University
For more info visit TapestryShelterSpecial
About Tapestry: Tapestry's mission is to champion opera as the greatest form of live performance art, and to do so through contemporary music and texts, actively relating to the world and time we live in through vital content and innovative performance practice. "The future of opera lies in relevant and current artistic content and those who are passionate about championing it." Michael Mori, Artistic Director. Tapestryopera.com
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