Event Detail

Jonny Stallings Cárdenas presents sketches from a new opera, The Art of Something Halfway Like Flying, composed in collaboration with librettist Natalie Soper.

T.A.O.S.H.L.F. follows a Seamstress who is trapped in a looping system of receiving boxes containing the shredded fragments of broken hearts. She must sew them back together at which point they take on the forms of birds and fly away. Assisted by two ghosts (the Twins), she begrudgingly sees to the isolated work while waiting for an escape. But, when she's presented with the seemingly impossible task of mending the heart of Medea–– the Greek tragic figure--the Seamstress begins to face her own brokenness.

The concert will also feature a set of improvised music revolving around Jonny's "Interludes 1A-1D" with improvised choreography by Jessica Hemingway.

Personnel:

"Interludes 1A-1D"

piano/synth - Jonny Stallings Cárdenas
alto sax/flute - Logan Hone
violin - Myra Hinrichs
trombone - Peter Sloan
upright bass - Joe Davancens
drums - Jesse Quebbeman Turley
dance - Jessica Hemingway

"The Art of Something Halfway Like Flying" (excerpts), music by Jonny Stallings Cárdenas, libretto by Natalie Soper:

Seamstress - Mariana Flores Bucio
Twins - Emily Barger and Julia Cordani
Jason/stage director - Miguel Zazueta
*Heart (choreography) - Jessica Hemingway
*costume by Ray S. Thomander

flute - Lyra Montoya
oboe - Carlos Rosas Coronado
clarinet - Grace Talaski
alto sax - Logan Hone
trombone - Peter Sloan
tuba - Jonathan Piper
drums - Jesse Quebbeman Turley
violin 1 - Myra Hinrichs
violin 2 - Amir Norouz Nasseri
cello - Peter Ko
bass - Joe Davancens

conductor - Jonny Stallings Cárdenas

poster - Kiki LaPomme