Guerilla Opera to Open 15th Anniversary Season With World Premiere of ELLIS

At the opening of their 15th Anniversary Season, Guerilla Opera will present a live production of ELLIS, a world premiere multimedia and immersive opera, composed and with electronic sound design by Gabriele Vanoni, libretto by Ewa Chrusciel, and with video installation and stage direction by Laine Rettmer.

ELLIS runs for two performances only on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 & 3, 2021 at 7:00PM in Boston's National Historic Landmark, the Old South Meeting House. Tickets are now on sale and are $45.00 for general admission. Discounts are available for patrons with disabilities as well as students. Purchase tickets online at guerillaopera.org/eventcal/ellis or by calling the Guerilla Opera box office at 617-286-6307.

ELLIS breathes life into forgotten voices of our past through true stories from Ellis Island and the recorded voices of immigrant storytellers from audio interviews collected in the "Ellis Island Oral Histories." These recordings are incorporated into the electronic sound design of the opera. ELLIS further explores themes of clashing of cultural identities, artifacts immigrants brought to this country, and the acceptance or intolerance of different cultures through emotional stories of migration.

Guerilla Opera's production brings together a multicultural cast to embody these true stories from our nation's past, while Rettmer's larger-than-life video projections transport audiences through time. The audience experiences a literal journey to communally explore how we are all wanderers in our lives searching for a sense of identity and place in the face of the unfamiliar.

The cast features Guerillas Aliana de la Guardia (soprano) and Brian Church (baritone), joined by Bizhou Chang (soprano), Taka Komagata (tenor), and Andros Zins-Browne (dancer) in their Guerilla Opera debut. The self-conducted instrumental ensemble includes Lilit Hartunian (Violin), Stephen Marotto (Cello), Philipp Stäudlin (Saxophone), and Mike Williams (co-founder and percussionist).

The production and creative team includes Laine Rettmer (Stage Director/Video Artist), Nicholas O'Leary (Associate Director/Dramaturg), Nuozhou Wang (Associate Director/Video Effects), Pamela Hersch (Projections Designer), Maxx Finn (Lighting Design), Tae Kim (Pianist), Sarah Schneider (Artistic Projects and Production Manager), Keithlyn Parkman (Production Coordinator), and Julia Noulin-Mérat (Artistic Advisor).

ELLIS is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Haverhill Cultural Council, a local agency funded by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, Michael and Sharon Mollerus, and Pentucket Bank, developed with our partners at the Haverhill Art Walk, HC Media, Trinity Parish in Newton Centre, The Gloucester Stage and Revolutionary Spaces, and with special thanks to José Carlos Ibañez Olvera (Compañía Nacional Ópera Contemporanea), theatre KAPOW, Ovation Theatre Company, and Best Western Merrimack Valley.

Accessibility

Guerilla Opera's productions of ELLIS require some walking and may include the use of stairs. The production can accommodate most accessibility needs. Please choose GROUP A if you are experiencing difficulty with mobility and require assistance.

Guests are encouraged to call or email Guerilla Opera's Box Office at 617-286-6307 or boxoffice@guerillaopera.org to disclose accessibility needs before attending any live event.

COVID-19 Safety

Guerilla Opera is committed to helping stop the spread of COVID-19. All guests must be fully vaccinated or provide a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of any live performance. Guests will be asked to show their vaccination card or test results and a government issued ID prior to entering any event ticketed by Guerilla Opera. A photo of a vaccination card is acceptable.

Guerilla Opera requires all performers, staff members, ushers, stagehands and vendors to be fully vaccinated and/or provide a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of any in-person event. Masks are required for all guests and program staff, regardless of vaccination status, per City of Boston guidelines.

Other Events

ELLIS: Chapter One, Raysel's Story at the Haverhill Art Walk
Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:30PM
G.A.R. Park, 108 Main St, Haverhill, MA 01830

Guerilla Opera presents a free immersive presentation of scenes featuring the true story of Raysel Luba from the multimedia chamber opera based on stories from Ellis Island. A Nazi concentration camp survivor, she journeys across the sea with her unborn child, only to face an unexpected and heartbreaking decision.

The cast for ELLIS: Chapter One, Raysel's Story features Aliana de la Guardia (soprano), Brian Church (baritone), Andros Zins-Browne (dancer), Stephen Marotto (Cello) and Mike Williams (percussion).

Guerilla Opera's journey begins in G.A.R. Park on Main Street in Haverhill. Admission is free and guests can sign up for reminders and further directions at guerillaopera.org/eventcal/ellis-chapter-one.

The Haverhill Art Walk is an outdoor and indoor event occurring on the second Saturday of the month from May - September. It highlights local businesses, forgotten alleyways, and underutilized spaces with Plein air painting, exhibitions, demonstrations, and music performances.

This is a wandering performance that requires audiences to walk in an outdoor location. Guerilla Opera requires all audiences to be masked for the indoor portion of this performance.

ELLIS: Chapter One, Raysel's Story is supported by the Haverhill Cultural Council, a local agency funded by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency and Pentucket Bank, and with special thanks to the Best Western Merrimack Valley, HC Media, and the Haverhill Art Walk.

Pre-Concert Conversation with the Creators of ELLIS
Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 6:15PM
Free with purchase of admission

Join in a conversation with composer, Gabriele Vanoni and members of the creative team from ELLIS directly preceding the evening's performance. This event is included with purchase of admission and will be held at the Old South Meeting House.