Opera Cabal in miniature

On June 15, our friends over at the Zhou gallery have invited the small bits and pieces of Opera Cabal that reside in Chicago to animate the gallery's montly opening house with a little art, a little music. This same night, be sure to hike up to the third floor of the Center to experience one of the weirdest indoor galleries in Chicago--I mean this as a compliment. For instance, there's an artist named Martin Bernstein (http://www.martinbernstein.com/) who does things I just can't even explain.

The highlight of the evening (back on the first floor) without doubt will be the John Peacock Pop Duo: http://www.myspace.com/johnpeacockmusic. John is, for my money, making the most interesting pop music I've ever heard in Chicago--and there's a lot of it in this city so you have to trust me when I say this is the real deal. John is accompanied by my good friend Nate Bakkum, also an excellent musician, on upright bass. Also at the event is a film by Irène Hodes, a writer and theater director living between Chicago and Israel: http://web.mac.com/irenehodes/iWeb/Irene%20Hodes%20Website/Welcome.html. There's an art installation curated by Rose Disal--who designed our chicken wire cage during the April festival at the gallery. Among other things, I'm also hosting a game show. Yes, a game show, where several distinguished professors from the University of Chicago will attempt to outwit one another. I'm crazy with anticipation.

Zhou B. Center (our current homebase)
1029 W. 35th St.
7-10p
First Floor
FREE

[majel]

Ok fine...

One more set...but this is it. I mean it. Don't even think about asking for more. The party's over. Call it a day.

dal niente
Michael McBride, conductor; Anita Chandavarkar, fl; Alejandro Acierto, cl; Jonathon Kirk, tbn; Ammie Brod, vla; Rob Clearfield, acc.
****

Janelle Jansen, harp
***

Isabel Castellvi, cello
*****


Kathleen looking terribly cute.
*


Majel looking terribly cute.
**

Rose doin' the schmoozy schmoozy.
******

(n.)

All the rest, all at once

Photos from the various dress rehearsals / performances on the festival. ( - some by Lisa, some by Rose, some by Chris Preissing.)

Cahoots and Collectives' invisible walls designed by Lisa Marks.
(photos in foreground by Sydney Nagel - just visible in the far background is Nick Barberio's "A Year of my Life")

****

Rose on a giant cone rampage.
***

Jon Eliot
**

Amanda Johnson, stage manager extraordinaire.
*****

Ryland Barton, Jon Eliot, Griffin Sharps in the throes of Lamia.
******

Kathleen Gallagher in the throes of ?Corporel.
*

Kathleen and Nick in the throes of a three-hour-tour.
***

Another perspective on the weekend.
****

dal niente in the throes of Kirsten Broberg's OPENING
Linden Christ, voice; Austin Wulliman, vn; Peter Martin, pc; Isabel Castellvi, vc
*****

Austin Wulliman and Andy Nogal
**

dal niente
front: Austin Wulliman, Isabel Castellvi
back: Andy Nogal, Linden Christ, Connie Schoepfin, Alejandro Acierto, Kirsten Broberg, Tony Arnold, Ammie Brod
*********

Two of our gracious hosts, ZhouB and Nick Depeter.
**

Kathleen and Sean Griffin cutting to the chase. Back and to the right is Katherine Bennet's sound installation.
****

Nick and Tony
*****

Random Polaroids from performance nights:

Onto the next big thing...
(n.)

Too much information (and more pictures)

This week saw the Spring Concerts for my youth choir, Capella - the most super awesome, and incredibly dedicated group of high school students I know of (...outside of Walden). Photos from the spring concert will likely be up on the NCS website soon. (And hey, by the way, check out our wine tasting fundraiser - buy a ticket, designate North Coast Singers as the beneficiary, drink some wine. It's simple.)

***

And lots of concerts coming up. If anybody who reads this is in San Diego in the next three weeks, you can come see me wave my magic wand (which is to say conduct) on the following concerts/pieces:


Tuesday May 8 (TODAY!) 8pm Warren Lecture Hall Studio A;
Music by UCSD Composers;
A wonderfully bizarre piece for voice and ensemble by a good friend of mine, Charlie Wilmoth. I don't think it has a title yet, but it involves banging trash can lids and spanking...yes spanking pieces of hung poster board. Love it.


Saturday May 12; 8pm Warren Lecture Hall Studio A
UCSD Spring Festival
John Cage's "Etcetera" for large ensemble, along with Jason Rosenberg and Fabio Oliviera.
(Also on this concert is Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians," but I'll just be in the audience for that one)


Friday May 18; 8pm Warren Lecture Hall Studio A
UCSD Spring Festival
"Muse Mute" for voice and ensemble by another good friend of mine, Carolyn Chen. Also on this concert is "Vortex Temporum" by Girard Grisey, which will be conducted by Nick Deyoe, (aka "Nick The Younger" as he is sometimes known around the UCSD music dept.). Not much Grisey gets played on the south-left coast. Perhaps a pre-concert talk by my current mentor, Philippe Manoury?


Saturday May 19; 8pm Warren Lecture Hall Studio A
UCSD Spring Festival
"Tongues" by Jason Eckardt, with Stephanie Aston, solo voice.
SO excited for this one. To my knowledge this will be the 4th performance of this piece ever. I had the good fortune to present what I think was the 3rd performance of "Tongues" ever in Chicago last year with Dal Niente and Tony Arnold. This time around we'll be in a super nice performance space and with an EVEN BIGGER thunder sheet! Also on that concert I'll be conducting a new piece by my friend, UCSD composer, Steve Willard.


There are a bunch more concerts on the UCSD spring fest...some highlights include "Le Marteau" (again with Stephanie singing), a live performance of Lucier's "I Am Sitting in a Room," and my good friend/collaborator, Jason Ponce's group. Come to a concert, get a program, scope it out.


In early June, Kathleen and I are trying to arrange an encore performance of Feldman's "For Christian Wolff" someplace in the greater San Diego area (NOT on the UCSD campus). More details to follow.

****

And now for some more photos from Collusions. These came from the nights preceding the first curtain rise (as if that won't be obvious).

Ryland and Jon, self portrait.
***


Ben Kolak...hanging lights.
*****

Barnaby doing what Barnaby does best: standing around looking charming and hot.
**



Opera Cabal directors looking...well...dare I say, fantastic.
******


Rose, suitably proud of her chicken-wire-hanging handiwork.
*

That's all for now. Come to a show.

(n.)

What the pfargtl?

Go ahead and Google
"where does mayonnaise come from"
...I dare you.

I find this somewhat hard to believe, but the Opera Cabal blog is the #1 hit for
"where does mayonnaise come from"

There's got to be SOME kind of hipster street cred in there somewhere.

Straight to the top of the charts....with a gooey bullet.
(n.)