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First Musical Reading of Damien Geter’s “Delta King’s Blues”

January 26 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

$30 – $75

Over the past 3 years, IN Series has been collaborating with librettist and Cardwell Dawson Artist Fellow Jarrod Lee, and composer Damien Geter, to commission a new “blues” opera based on the life of blues legend Robert Johnson.

Plunkert-delta-king (1) copy.jpgJohnson, according to legend, sold his soul to the devil to learn the blues, and in doing so invented the first truly American musical genre. The new Faustian opera, premiering in a fully staged production in the 25-26 season will receive its first musical reading with Curtis Bannister as Robert Johnson, Carl Dupont as the Devil, Melissa Wimbish as Virginia, Marvin Wayne Allen III as Willy, and Jonathan Pierce Rhodes as the son.

“The music of my chamber opera Delta King’s Blues is certainly a stylized version of Robert Johnson’s own blues making, but also incorporates a sound world that is akin to what we know as contemporary “classical” music said Damien Geter. “These palettes exist to place the listener in Johnson’s world, as well as the opposing, mysterious, and menacing place of the Crossroads where Johnson is said to have sold his soul.”

Delta King’s Blues

*new opera by Damien Geter, libretto by Jarrod Lee FIRST MUSICAL READING

DATE: Sunday, January 26 at 4 PM, reception at 5 PM

Location: MLK Library Auditorium: 901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Tickets: show $35, $50 reception, $75 combination of show and reception

Purchase HERE

*proceeds from the reception will be used to complete the commission of this new opera

 

Further productions in IN Series’ 2024-25 season include Monteverdi’s Poppea, which runs March 14-29 at Dupont Underground, St. Mark’s Capitol Hill and Baltimore Theatre Project. The composer’s most famous and audacious final opera of love, power, sex, and betrayal will be brought to life by Artistic Director Timothy Nelson in collaboration with Indian-Canadian choreographer Hari Krishnan and the INnovātiō Orchestra, IN Series’ own period baroque band, blending music of South India in an evening of whirling passion, music, poetry, and Bharatanatyam dance. Concluding the season May 17 – June 1 is the long-awaited world premiere of Ethiopia, a “living newspaper” written by Arthur Arent in 1937 that fuses theater and music to tell the story of Italy’s colonialist attack on Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia while the world stayed silent. Banned by the Roosevelt administration and never performed, the work has been revived by playwright Sybil R. Williams with new music by Janelle Gill and will be showcased at Greenberg Theatre and Baltimore Theatre Project.

 

Details

Date:
January 26
Time:
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Cost:
$30 – $75
Event Category:
Website:
https://www.inseries.org/post/alcestiad

Organizer

INSeries
View Organizer Website

Venue

MLK Auditorium
901 G St NW
Washington, DC 20001
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