On March 22nd, FAWN will present Belladonna, a new collectively created chamber opera with music developed by modular electronic artist ACOTE, guest mezzo-soprano Camille Rogers and members of the FAWN Team. The story of Belladonna is by U.K. librettist Gareth Mattey who specializes in writing queer narratives for opera.

About the opera:

The root of the story was created by the FAWN Team for their 2017/18 launch event last January and has since been used by Mattey as inspiration for the opera. Belladonna begins reminiscent of a classic tale, following two shepherds, named Cloth and Lake and their journeys to tend to their flocks.

The two shepherds experience differing impulses of curiosity and inevitability, leading them to eat the berry of a belladonna plant, which is highly poisonous with strong hallucinogenic properties. The experience thrusts them into a strange and revealing hallucinatory journey, which Mattey describes as being "…about queerness and how we access it and understand it, even in environments that may feel and seem inhospitable."

Performances by:

Mary-Dora Bloch-Hansen (dancer/choreographer) - as Atrophy

Jonathan MacArthur (tenor) - as Cloth

Camille Rogers (mezzo-soprano) - as Lake

ACOTE - modular electronics

Adam Scime - double-bass

Darren Creech - piano

Creative Team:

Amanda Smith - Stage Director, Set Designer & Musical Dramaturge

Gareth Mattey - Librettist & Dramaturge

Noah Feaver - Lighting Designer

Erica Sun - Makeup Designer

Zev Shoag - Production Assistant

DETAILS:

March 22, 2018

at Kensington Hall (56 Kensington Ave)

doors at 8pm

show at 8:30pm

19+

Tickets online:

$20 under 30 & arts workers / $30 regular

Purchase at: https://www.bemusednetwork.com/events/detail/492

Tickets at the door:

$25 under 30 & arts workers / $35 regular

About the Convergence Series:

FAWN has a particular interest in exploring art music with non-classical music artists. Cross-genre performances are another way they reach out to other communities and introduce new audiences to the exciting potential of today’s classical music.

FAWN’s first Convergence Series performance took place in 2013 at MOJO Lounge, an underground nightclub that has since closed. The night featured a cross-genre performance, integrating experimental electronic music by David Psutka (Egyptrixx/Hiawatha) with free classical improvisation, set alongside responsive projections by Brady Bothwell.

About FAWN:

FAWN Chamber Creative is a Toronto-based collective dedicated to expanding the audience and repertoire for Canadian classical music, with an emphasis on exploring new opera and multidisciplinary musical works.

Visit fawnchambercreative.com/about to learn more about the company.