Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre is collaborating with L.A. Opera, Los Angeles Maritime Institute and marine research incubator AltaSea to bring an immersive art experience to the Los Angeles Maritime Institute's twin Tall Ships in San Pedro. Beyond the Waterfront, a one-night only, site-specific performance, will take place on Saturday, June 24 at 8 p.m. at the Port of Los Angeles.
A dance opera story of sirens and sailors on the ships and the wharf, Beyond the Waterfront pays homage to the late Leonard Bernstein with a multi-sensory work that tackles themes of collaboration, sustainability and the influence of humanity on the environment. The history and aesthetic of the Tall Ships juxtaposed with the contemporary volume of traffic in the port will provide context for the performers to connect past and present in the piece. While the story will differ from the iconic film On The Waterfront - it won't include any crooked union bosses - the production will inhabit the spirit of Bernstein's work and the circumstances in which the film was shot: on the docks, longshoremen working in the background, and all the natural sounds of the port - birds, horns, water and wind. HDDT company dancers Teresa "Toogie" Barcelo, Isaac Huerta, Corina Kinnear, Jillian Meyers and Ryan Walker Page will be joined by L.A. Opera singers soprano Jamie Chamberlain (Cretan Woman in Idomeneo and the High Priestess in Aida), soprano Lisa Eden (2017 Grammy Award, Best Opera Recording for the LA Opera official cast recording of The Ghosts of Versailles) and mezzo-soprano Melissa Treinkman (featured ensemble The Ghosts of Versailles and the Vendor in Carmen) as the sirens, with an original score by composer Juhi Bansal. The audience will sit on the wharf of City Dock No. 1, the oldest pier at the Port of Los Angeles, immersed in the sights and sounds of the port while watching the dancers perform on the anchored ships in the water. Duckler and her dancers will choreograph the piece in advance, though wind and sea conditions will contribute to an unpredictable and adventurous performance.Details for Calendar Listings
'Beyond the Waterfront'
WHAT:
Beyond the Waterfront - Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre is collaborating with L.A. Opera, Los Angeles Maritime Institute and marine research incubator AltaSea to bring an immersive art experience to the Los Angeles Maritime Institute's twin Tall Ships in San Pedro. A dance opera story of sirens and sailors on the ships and the wharf, Beyond the Waterfront pays homage to the late Leonard Bernstein with a multi-sensory work that tackles themes of collaboration, sustainability and the influence of humanity on the environment. The audience will sit on the wharf of City Dock No. 1, the oldest pier at the Port of Los Angeles, immersed in the sights and sounds of the port while watching the dancers perform on the anchored ships in the water. Duckler and her dancers will choreograph the piece in advance, though wind and sea conditions will contribute to an unpredictable and adventurous performance.
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