NEW YORK CITY: Just weeks after announcing its 2015–16 season, HERE Arts Center has revealed the lineup for its fourth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theater/Now festival, Jan 6–17, 2016, which concentrates on innovative opera-theatre works. The artists on the slate include Enda Walsh and Heidi Rodewald. PROTOTYPE is coproduced with Beth Morrison Projects.
The festival will begin with the world premiere of Angel‘s Bone, with music by Du Yun and a libretto by Royce Vavrek (Jan. 6–17, 2016). It follows two angels who come to Earth and become the victims of human trafficking.
Following will be The Good Swimmer by Heidi Rodewald, with a libretto by Donna Di Novelli (Jan. 7–17, 2016). The piece takes the story of Antigone and places it during the early days of the Vietnam War, among a family of lifeguards. Kevin Newbury will direct.
Next is the American premiere of Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera’s The Last Hotel, by Donnacha Dennehy, with a libretto and direction by Enda Walsh (Jan. 8–17, 2016). The opera tackles the subject of assisted suicide. It will be presented at St. Ann’s Warehouse new space in DUMBO, Brooklyn as part of the theatre’s 2015–16 season. It is also copresented with the Irish Arts Center.
PROTOTYPE does not offer only traditionally theatrical works: Brooklyn-based Bombay Rickey will do an opera-cabaret presentation exploring the life of Peruvian singer Yma Sumac (Jan. 8–16, 2016).
Dog Days from David T. Little, with a libretto by Royce Vavrek, is next (Jan. 9–11, 2016). The black comedy is about a working-class American family trying to survive during wartime. It is copresented with NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Robert Woodruff will direct.
Saga, from Belgian bands Dez Mona and B.O.X. (Baroque Orchestration X), makes its American premiere (Jan. 9–10, 2016). It is pegged as a multimedia concert, somewhere between an opera and a song cycle. The work is centered on the theme of homecoming and features vocals, lyrics, and music from Gregory Frateur.
The final presentation from PROTOTYPE will be La Reina, with music by Jorge Sosa and a libretto by Sosa and Laura Sosa Pedroza (Jan. 17, 2015). The opera will feature text in Spanish and English, and will explore the drug trade in Mexico and the United States. The production is copresented with American Lyric Theater and French Institute Alliance Française.
