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US Premiere of Gavin Bryars's Marilyn Forever at Long Beach Opera

Mar. 03, 2015

US Premiere of Gavin Bryars's <em>Marilyn Forever</em> at Long Beach Opera

Marilyn Forever, Gavin Bryars’s recent chamber opera with a libretto by Marilyn Bowering, receives its US premiere this month in a production at Long Beach Opera. Earlier this season, the opera received its successful Australian premiere at the Adelaide Festival, where Bryars also served as composer-in-residence. Marilyn Forever was commissioned by the Aventa Ensemble who gave the world premiere in 2013 in Victoria, Canada.

The US premiere takes place on March 21 at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, California with a repeat performance on March 29. The production features stage direction by Andreas Mitisek, video design by Adam Flemming, and lighting design by Dan Weingarten. Bill Linwood, who conducted both previous productions in Canada and Australia, leads the ensemble at Long Beach Opera.

Bryars’s BIPED also receives performances this month in a four night run as part of the “Juilliard Dances Repertory” program at the Juilliard School in New York. The work, scored for violin, cello, electric guitar, double bass, keyboard and tape, is the result of a collaboration between Bryars and luminary choreographer Merce Cunningham. Like many of Cunningham collaborations, BIPED complements the music and dance with a strong visual element—Paul Kaiser and Shelley Eshkar collaborated with Bryars and Cunningham to create the décor using unique motion capture technology. The Juilliard performances run from March 25-28 at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater in New York, conducted by Aaron Sherber and with staging by Jennifer Goggans and Jean Freebury. 

For more information on Gavin Bryars, please visit schott-music.com

Details on the performances can be found at longbeachopera.org and juilliard.edu.

Gavin Bryars
Marilyn Forever (2010-2013)
a chamber opera
libretto (Eng) by Marilyn Bowering
for soprano, baritone and small chorus of tenor, baritone and bass
bcl.bsn-hn-perc-str(0.0.2.1.1); jazz trio (tsax-pno-jazz bass)
75’

BIPED (1999)
for ensemble and pre-recorded tape
egtr.ekeybd-str(1.0.0.1.1)
45’

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