SAN DIEGO, Calif. – San Diego Opera’s 2016-2017 season continues Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. with the West Coast Premiere of David T. Little’s opera Soldier Songs. Soldier Songs also marks the Company’s first opera in the newly created Shiley dētour Series which explores lesser known operas and works that fall outside of the Company’s ongoing tradition of presenting grand operas at the San Diego Civic Theatre. The Shiley dētour Series is named after philanthropist Darlene Shiley, whose gift supports relevant and unusual works. Soldier Songs will be performed at the Balboa Theatre with additional performances Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. The performance on Saturday, November 12 will air live on KPBS-TV. This live televised broadcast, the first in the Company’s history , can be seen in San Diego County on Cable 11, Cox 1011, Time Warner 15-1, and channel 15 (UHF digital channel 30).
Opening on Veterans Day, Soldier Songs is an important and relevant multimedia work that explores the shift in perception of war from the age of 6 to 66 as sung from the perspective of an abstract character as he moves through three phases of his life: youth (playing war games) warrior (time served in the military) and an elder (aged, wise, reflective). With a libretto developed by the composer from interviews with veterans from five different wars, Soldier Songs explores the loss and exploitation of innocence, and the true cost of war on the individual soldier.
The opera begins with the sentiment “I never talk about this with anyone” and ends with the plea to “talk”. To facilitate conversation about this opera, and to address the audience’s emotional experience, each performance of Soldier Songs will be immediately followed by Act II; a curated panel discussion with a member of the Soldier Songs creative team and U.S. Armed Forces Veterans who will be reacting to the piece. Audience members will also have a chance to contribute their experiences to the discussion. Act II is free to all ticket holders of Soldier Songs and will run approximately 30 minutes.
Soldier Songs stars baritone David Adam Moore who made his Company debut in 2009 as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and was last seen as Silvio in Pagliacci in 2014. Soldier Songs is conducted by Steven Schick, in his Company debut. It is directed by Tomer Zvulun, also in his Company debut. This production is designed by GLMMR (Giving Light Motion + Memory + Relevance) a NYC-based multimedia art collective that combines traditional stage craft with cutting edge projection mapping technology. This production was designed by Vita Tzykun and David Adam Moore. Maxwell Bowman is the Lighting Designer. The opera will be performed in English with English text above the stage. These are the first San Diego Opera performances of Soldier Songs and the opera’s West Coast Premiere. Single tickets for Soldier Songs start at $20.
Soldier Songs contains strong language, simulated gunshots, explosions and other combat-like sounds and visual effects.
