Review: LANGUAGE OF THE FUTURE: LETTERS TO JACK is Mesmerizing at the Kennedy Center

Laurie Anderson and Rubin Kodheli's performances in Language of the Future: Letters to Jack are beautifully mesmerizing. Laurie Anderson, known for her 1982 album, Big Science, and her 1981 song, "O Superman (For Massenet)," which has been covered by greats, such as David Bowie, is a familiar face in the experimental music scene. Rubin Kodheli is a cellist and composer known for his compositions for films, such as Precious. In Language of the Future: Letters to Jack, Anderson's new work uses a blend of prose and poetry with punches of other worldly orchestral sounds of Kodheli's married with Anderson's electronic sounds.

This work is Anderson and Kodheli's first time performing together in public, but it feels as if they have been working together for longer. Both of their sounds sync well together during their duets. Anderson plays the electric violin and the keyboard. Occasionally, she use a synthesizer and computer to create electronic resonance in the background. Kodheli plays his cello with an aggressive passion that matches Anderson's intensity. Everything from the staccatos to the sharp pizzicatos to the massive crescendos are mix well with Anderson's narratives.

Anderson's storytelling is enthralling. She tells narratives from her childhood, such as her correspondences with John F. Kennedy and an accident at a swimming pool. There are fragments of history including the moon landing and the Cuban Missile crisis. Although, she doesn't just focus on the past. Anderson weaves in narratives of the present, such as a gathering at a book club gone horribly wrong and a visit to a convent, and a dream world in which she takes on the persona of a higher authority. Despite the diverseness of these narratives, the themes of the evolution of perspective and change are permanent throughout the work. She captures the evolution of perspective over time in her story about how her view of a childhood memory of being in a hospital changed over time. Anderson depicts steadfastness of time and change through the moon landing and her fears about the beginning of "World War III." Keep in mind, Anderson's narratives aren't always so serious, even though the themes suggest otherwise. Many of her narratives are full of lighthearted and humorous lines that induce a rich laughter from the audience. The one of the most interesting parts of this work is that Anderson plays around with the audience through a series of projections in the background. These projections manipulate the narrative a bit, but still add an extra layer of imagery. During one narrative, projections of random phrases in a white font sail on a black background behind Anderson as she talks about distractions in everyday life. Anderson is able to brilliantly showcase to the audience how narratives and words can be manipulated and shaped into something greater.

Laurie Anderson's Language of the Future: Letters to Jack is an on-going work. Let's hope that she continues to build on this beautiful blend of narratives and songs.

Language of the Future: Letters to Jack starring Laurie Anderson and Rubin Kodheli is 70 minutes without an intermission and it runs until March 6, 2016 as part of the Kennedy Center's World Stages series. Tickets can be purchased online or call (202) 467-4600.

Pictured: (left) Laurie Anderson as a child. (right) Laurie Anderson today. Photo courtesy of Kennedy Center website.

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