A multimedia opera and surrealist drama, co-produced with Guerilla Opera that follows two Chinese-American women who meet in the afterlife and explores conflicts between their Western upbringing and Chinese culture.
HER | alive.un.dead is a concert-length media opera about three generations of Asian women in a single family. Through birth and death cycles in the family, and encounters in a space called the “in-between”, these women expound on gender biases against women, and discriminatory practices upon people of Asian descent.
HER | alive.un.dead focuses on the specific experiences of being an Asian woman in a largely Western society and upbringing. This clash between East and West is interpreted differently between three generations of women in a single family, and changes drastically from character to character due to each character's background and upbringing: fresh immigrant with strong connections to her homeland, first-generation Chinese American trying to integrate into American society, and a second-generation Chinese American who really only feels like she is American and is ignoring the 'Chinese' part of her heritage.
The opera will take place in ten scenes within three acts, with over 60 minutes of music. The narrative is non-linear, which helps contrast between the dramatic arc and musical arc of the work.
The libretto is in English, Mandarin, and Teochew.
Flashing Lights Warning: This performance features flashing lighting effects.
Trigger Warning: This performance includes topics of teen suicide, and may be disturbing for certain audience members. Resources for crisis and suicide prevention are available 24/7 by dialing 998 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Dates:
Friday, May 12 | 8:00 PM with Opening Night Post-Show discussion with creators and cast
Saturday, May 13 | 3:00 PM with Pre-Show Tactile Tour (2:00 PM start time, preregistration required) and Post-Show discussion with creators and cast
Saturday, May 13 | 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 14 | 3:00 PM
Price: Tiered $15-55
About Guerilla Opera
Unlike traditional opera companies, Guerilla Opera is an ensemble of artists that perform without a conductor or formal music director. This is unusual and distinguishes Guerilla Opera in the field of opera. This practice requires extraordinary awareness and communication skills that can only be honed through consistent practice by a group of artists working together over time.
Founded in 2007, Guerilla Opera (GO) is one of Boston’s most exciting ensembles creating brave new works, with The Boston Globe raving that “radical exploration remains the cornerstone of everything it does”. This artist-led ensemble wields a mission to present new experimental works of opera theater that are tailored to their ensemble of outstanding artists. Their artistic vision is to generate a unique body of work that ferociously confronts the status quo through culturally-focused and socially-resonant stories that examine and question antiquated and stereotypical traditions of the art form of opera and to bring thrilling performances to nationwide audiences. With this mission and vision, Guerilla Opera has garnered a national reputation for innovation, with Opera News raving that “Guerilla Opera redefines the Opera experience.”
About the Composer
Emily Koh
Emily Koh is a Singaporean composer based in Atlanta, whose music is characterized by inventive explorations of the smallest details of sound. In addition to writing acoustic and electronic concert music, she enjoys collaborating with other creatives in projects where sound plays an important role in the creative process. Emily is currently Assistant Professor of Composition at the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music. (https://emilykoh.net)
About the Director
Mo Zhou
Originally from China, Mo Zhou is a stage director and educator whose international career spans all artistic disciplines including opera, theater, musical theater, dance, and film.
Equally passionate about invigorating classical canons and spearheading new works, Zhou’s productions have been seen at Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Santa Fe Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, the Juilliard School, WP Theatre, to name a few. She has also worked as a member of the directing staff at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, the Dallas Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, among others.
About the Ensemble
Sol Kim Bentley
Two-time Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions regional finalist Sol Kim Bentley was lauded by Opera News for her “ardently sincere … beautifully restrained and heartbreaking” performance as Cardillac’s Daughter in Hindemith’s Cardillac for Opera Boston, the production of which was named one of the top ten international musical events of 2011 by Musical America. Previously, she understudied the title role in Opera Boston’s world premiere of Zhou Long’s 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Madame White Snake (performing the role for an invited dress rehearsal), and was the Roll Seller in Opera Boston’s New England premiere of Shostakovich’s The Nose.
Nina Guo
Soprano Nina Guo is interested in the sounds of recent and ongoing times, and her performance practice includes interpreting notated music, improvising, and collaborating on interdisciplinary projects. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in classical voice from the New England Conservatory of Music (2015), she completed a Master’s degree in Sound Studies and Sonic Arts at the Universität der Künste in Berlin (2020). As a contemporary music specialist, her upcoming performances include solo appearances with Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt) and Decoder Ensemble (Hamburg), and recently, she has been featured at festivals like Acht Brücken (Köln), Passion:SPIEL at the Deutsches National Theater (Weimar), and Music in Time at Spoleto Festival (Charleston).
Jeannette Lee
Described to have “a lovely mezzo voice with lots of color, warmth and vibrancy,” Hong Kong mezzo-soprano Jeannette Lee is a sought-after versatile performer who was awarded the Hilda Harris Mezzo Soprano Prize at the 2022 George Shirley Vocal Competition. She was also a prize winner in 2023 William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition, 2021 NATS Artist Award (New England Region).
On the international concert stage, she has appeared as a soloist in Bach’s Mass in B minor and BWV70 &130, Beethoven’s Chorale Fantasy, Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Messiah, Britten’s Cantata Academica, Monteverdi’s Marienvespers and Osvaldo Golijov’s Oceana. Jeannette is passionate about collaborating on new works, having recently premiered Simon Andrews’ Seasons in FUSE: Collaborations in Song and sang the East Coast premiere of Jenni Brandon’s Sea Smoke on Gichigami.
Jiayin Shi
Jiayin Shi is an operatic baritone singer, currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Boston University, School of Music. With a wide range of performing experiences, Jiayin Shi has served in various genres, including opera, oratorio, musical theater, and art songs. He has been praised for his performances in works such as Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Philip Glass and Robert Moran’s The Juniper Tree, as well as his work in the musical theater genre, including a Chinese musical: May Be Tomorrow Belongs to Me. Jiayin Shi earned two master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the China Conservatory of Music. He also received his bachelor’s degree from the China Conservatory of Music. With the passion of a musician, Jiayin Shi keeps on the journey of sharing his music with audiences around the world.
Lilit Hartunian
Violinist Lilit Hartunian performs at the forefront of contemporary music innovation, both as soloist and highly in-demand collaborative artist. First prize winner in the 2021 Black House Collective New Music Soloist Competition, Ms. Hartunian’s "Paganiniesque virtuosity" and “captivating and luxurious tone” (Boston Musical Intelligencer) are frequently on display at the major concert halls of Boston, including multiple solo performances at Jordan Hall and chamber music at Symphony Hall (Boston Symphony Orchestra Insights Series), as well as at leading academic institutions, where she often appears as both soloist and new music specialist. Highlights from the 2022-2023 season include performances with A Far Cry at The Kennedy Center, Boston Modern Orchestra Project at Carnegie Hall, and [Switch~ Ensemble] at June in Buffalo.
Stephen Marotto
A native of Norwalk, Connecticut, Stephen has received a Bachelors degree with honors from the University of Connecticut, and Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Boston University. Stephen’s formative teachers include Michael Reynolds, Kangho Lee, Marc
Johnson, and Rhonda Rider. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Stephen plays regularly with chamber groups throughout New England and also performs on various new music concert series in the Boston area and beyond. Stephen has attended music festivals at the
Banff Centre, Cortona Sessions for New Music and SoundSCAPE festival in Italy, and the Summer Course for New Music in Darmstadt, Germany. Stephen has a wide range of musical interest that include contemporary chamber music, improvisatory music, and electroacoustic music.
Philipp Stäudlin
Stäudlin is an award-winning virtuoso saxophonist who has performed hundreds of concerts throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. His characteristic tonal qualities, deep sense of phrasing, and superb technical skills make him one of the most unique voices in today's classical saxophone world.
A native of Friedrichshafen, Germany, Stäudlin has appeared as a soloist with the Sinfonieorchester Basel, Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Sound Icon ensemble, White Rabbit Ensemble (former ensemble-in-residence at Harvard University), Niederrheinische Sinfoniker, Callithumpian Consort, Bielefelder Philharmoniker, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, Tufts University Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the Providence Singers.
Mike Williams
Hailed by the Boston Globe as “one of the city’s best percussionists,” Mike Williams has performed throughout North America and Europe and is a regular performer in the Boston area. An advocate for contemporary music, he is a member of the new music sinfonietta Sound Icon, Callithumpian Consort and is the percussionist and artistic director of Guerilla Opera, with whom he has commissioned and premiered 14 new chamber operas since 2007. He has also performed with such groups as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Ludovico Ensemble, Chameleon Arts Ensemble, and Harvard Group for New Music. Williams has worked with many of the leading composers of our time, including Pierluigi Billone, Philippe Leroux, Salvatore Sciarrino, Gunther Schuller, and Roger Reynolds, and he has been involved in numerous recordings on labels such as Cantaloupe, BMOP/sound, Albany, and Northwest Classics.
About the Design and Production Team
Saskia Martinez
Saskia Martinez (they/them) is a Boston-based scene designer and scenic artist. Regional credits include: Coriolanus, Seven Guitars (Actors’ Shakespeare Project), Little Women: The Musical (Wheelock Family Theatre), Nina Simone: Four Women, Snow White, The Little Foxes, Appropriate (South Coast Repertory Theatre). Education: Boston University.
Nuozhou Wang
Nuozhou is a filmmaker and a video artist based in the US. She has designed projection for various opera productions and has directed, cinematographed, and created visual effects for numerous films and videos. Her work, featuring women characters invariably, explores gender, class, and sexuality. Nuozhou has engaged in the creation of works presented at various venues including the Museum of Modern Art, Pioneer Works, and Art Basel. Her works have aired on WCVB and have been featured in Broadway World, The Boston Globe, Vogue, Boston Musical Intelligencer, South China Morning Post, NIKKEI Asia, etc. Nuozhou received her BFA in Sculpture from Rhode Island School of Design.
Marie Yokoyama
Marie Yokoyama (she/her) is a lighting and set designer based in NY. Her lighting credit includes Rinaldo at Minnesota Opera; Orpheus in the Underworld and Rake's Progress at Juilliard; note to a friend at Tokyo Bunkakaikan; Merry Widow at Opera Theater Pittsburgh; Kim’s Convenience at Westport CountyPlayhouse; Searching for Mr. Moon at Portland Stage; Mystery of Irma Vep at St. Louis Rep; Testmatch at American Conservatory Theater San Francisco; Tiny Beautiful Things at Merrimack Repertory Theatre; Do You Feel Anger at Vineyard Theatre; and Pillowtalk with Kyoung's Pacific Beats. She is the Associate Artist for the Redhouse Arts Center where she has designed Macbeth, Fences, God of Carnage, On Golden Pond, and Ragtime.
Lindsay Hoisington
Lindsay Hoisington (Costume Designer) is a Boston-based Costume Designer, Wardrobe Supervisor, and Draper. She has worked as a Designer for Company Theatre on Frozen Jr. and Roald Dahl's Matilda, the Musical, Virginia Children's theatre on The Addam's Family and Cinderella, and here at Guerilla Opera for Her | Alive.Un.Dead. She has been Wardrobe Supervisor at WFT@BU, for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Actor's Shakespeare project and several others. She has also been a dresser for The Huntington as well as Odessy Opera, White Snakes Productions, and others. She has draped for Merrimack Rep Theatre and frequently for her design jobs. She hopes to bring compassion, empathy, and truth to every work she is in.
Keithlyn Parkman
Keithlyn B Parkman graduated from the Boston University College of Fine Arts with a BFA in Lighting Design. 10 years ago, during her time at BU, she stumbled across this zany little opera family, and the rest is history. Keithlyn has done a great many things for Guerilla over the years, but Thrilling may top the scales in number of jobs held, including but not limited to Lighting & Scenic Design, Props Mistress and Associate Producer. GO is an ensemble after all. When not running around Boston with Guerilla, Parkman shares her passion for theater making by mentoring young theater artists at various highschools in her hometown of NYC. Recent Guerilla credits include SALT, Rumpelstiltskin and Ofelia's Life Dream. Upcoming projects include Alice By Heart (The Beacon School) and Chicago (Berkeley Carroll).
Sarah Schneider
Sarah Schneider (she/her) is a Boston-based stage manager and child supervisor. In addition to her work with Guerilla Opera (Rumpelstiltskin, Emergence Fellowship Showcase), she has worked with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Boston Ballet, Huntington Theatre Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, Company One, the Boston University Opera Institute, and more. Sarah is a graduate of Boston University where she earned her BFA in Stage Management.
Jolie Frazer-Madge
Jolie Frazer-Madge (she/her) is excited to be returning to Guerilla Opera, having previously staged managed I Give You My Home and The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage. Previous Boston opera stage management credits include X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (Odyssey Opera/Boston Modern Opera Project), and L'Arbore di Diana (New England Conservatory). Jolie holds a BFA in Stage Management from Boston University.
Aliana de la Guardia
Aliana de la Guardia is a Cuban-American soprano vocalist, arts leader, producer, and voice teacher. Specializing in new music and opera, she collaborates with opera companies, chamber ensembles, and varied artists nationwide. She is a co-founding artist and Artistic Director of Guerilla Opera, half of Bahué, a voice and percussion duo, and a PARMA Recordings Artist. She is the owner of the Dirty Paloma Voice Studio where she teaches private voice lessons, as well as at the Community Music School of Springfield, with speaking engagements at institutions, initiatives, conventions, and convenings nationwide.
COVID-19 Policy: All visitors are required to be masked during the duration of the performance. Performers may be unmasked while performing. View more on our visitor policy
Contact | ashley.yung@bcnc.net
The commissioning of Emily Koh for HER | alive.un.dead: a media opera received funding from OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.
This opera is supported in part by a Grants for Arts Projects Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Live Arts Boston Grant award from The Boston Foundation and their partners at the Barr Foundation and Dunamis., a grant from Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership’s funds from the Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research, and an award from the New Music USA Creator Development Fund.
This world-premiere opera was developed in partnership with the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts.