SONG FROM THE UPROAR Closes Opera Ithaca's 4th Season

Opera Ithaca presents Song from the Uproar: the lives and deaths of Isabelle Eberhardt, a 75-minute, English-language contemporary opera from composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek about the life of Swiss writer and explorer, Isabelle Eberhardt.

Song from the Uproar is inspired by the true story of Isabelle Eberhardt, a radical Swiss writer and explorer who published her first works under a male pseudonym and lived her later life in Algeria having converted to Islam and adopting the male identity, Si Mahmoud Saadi. Eberhardt drowned in a desert flash flood at the age of 27. The opera, composed by Missy Mazzoli, is scored for six singers and an ensemble of piano, flute, clarinet, double bass and electric guitar.

Song from the Uproar was developed by Beth Morrison Projects and had its world premiere at NYC's Kitchen Theatre in 2012. It has since been presented by LA Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Chicago Fringe Opera. The NYC premiere as a New York Magazine Critic's Pick and garnered five stars from Time Out New York. The New York Times said of the work, "in the electric surge of Ms. Mazzoli's score you felt the joy, risk and limitless potential of free spirits unbound" and I Care If You Listen hailed it "a masterpiece of modern opera".

Kara Cornell (Pittsburgh Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Opera Fayetteville) stars as Isabelle Eberhardt with Christopher Hauser, Sarah Welden, Josi Petersen, Rachel Silverstein and Joshua Dykes. Joshua Borths (Arizona Opera, Pensacola Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera)directs and designs alongside conductor, Keith Chambers(New York City Opera, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera).

From director/designer, Joshua Borths, "In her quest for freedom, she disguised herself as a man. She roamed the desert, converted to Islam, fell in love, fell out of love, lost her family's inheritance, survived an assassination attempt, and became addicted to every drug available to her. She herself died at the age of 27 in a flash flood in the middle of the desert. By the end of her life, she had lost allof her teeth and hair. Her body wore her experiences like battle scars. Isabelle Eberhardt is not a cultural icon, and she has largely been forgotten by history. I think part of this is because Isabelle Eberhardt is a paradox. Her life is an attempt at bringing together diametrically opposed forces: masculinity and femininity, East and West, body and spirit, love and indifference, sand and water. She looked for freedom, but only found constraints."

The production is sponsored by Donald Spector and Stacia E. Zabusky.

Opera Ithaca's production of Song from the Uproar will play The Cherry Artspace May 5th, 8th, 9th and 10th at 7pm and May 6th at 4pm. Tickets are $10-$35.

For tickets and more information, please visit www.OperaIthaca.org

Opera Ithaca was founded in 2014 by Zachary James, Lynn Craver and Richard Montgomery. Opera Ithaca has presented Bluebeard's Castle, the professional premiere of Il Sogno, the world premiere of Billy Blythe, Don Giovanni, Die Fledermaus, Masquerade, Cenerentola, Carmen, Tosca, Bully Pulpit, Pirates of Penzance, Pagliacci, Thumbprint, Abduction from the Seraglio and dozens of concerts, community outreach and educational events.

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