Opera Cabal is reshaping how opera is imagined, produced and performed in the United States. Composed of a versatile collective of accomplished young artists, the company propels the opera of today by presenting unpredictable new work and modeling new forms of audience engagement. Opera Cabal partners with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (called “new music dynamos” by NPR), to mount the first North American stage premiere of ATTHIS, a haunting monodrama by Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas with lyrics by the ancient Greek poet Sappho. This production of ATTHIS is directed by Habib Azar, an Emmy Award-winning stage director, and conducted by Peyman Farzinpour, former director of new music at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and conductor in residence with Opera Cabal. Soprano Ariadne Grief takes the stage as Sappho with Opera Cabal Artistic Director Majel Connery embodying her elusive lover. Haas shares the evening’s program with Brazilian composer and former Guggenheim Fellow Marcos Balter in three never-before staged works: “Ut” and “Live Water,” written for and performed by acclaimed violist Nadia Sirota; and “delete/control/option,” featuring ACME founder and Artistic Director Clarice Jensen (cello) and Andrew Rehrig (alto flute).

Georg Friedrich Haas: ATTHIS (2009); featuring ACME, Ariadne Grief (soprano), Majel Connery (actor), Peyman Farzinpour (conductor), and Habib Azar (stage director)

Marcos Balter: “Ut” and “Live Water” (2005/2007); featuring Nadia Sirota

Marcos Balter: “delete/control/option” (2008); featuring Clarice Jensen and Andrew Rehrig

June 12–13, 8pm
Tickets $15