Phoolan Devi Opera, 8pm Sat May 12, South Church

All are invited to attend a unique and powerful performance:
Phoolan Devi, a new opera

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2012     Time: 8pm

Location: South Congregational Church, 
9 Pleasant St., Middletown, CT 06457

Admission: A Freewill Offering will be accepted

Phoolan Devi, a new raw untouchable opera, will have its world premier on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 8pm at South Church in Middletown, CT. The composer is Gayathri Khemadasa, from Sri Lanka, currently a Fulbright scholar at Wesleyan University. Jeff Hush, a former Shakespeare scholar from UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago, is writing the libretto and producing the opera, with Darren Large. Anitra Brooks is singing the lead role of Phoolan Devi. Joseph Getter is the Music Director. Sets are by Desirée Alvarez. Other lead singers are Stan Scott, Marcella Trowbridge, Robert Hallberg and Natalie Plaza. Chorus members are Judith Milardo, Stacey Grimaldi, Beth Cranna, Kalia Kellogg and Camille Martin. Dancers include Nik Owens and Shivali Gupta. Other actors include M.Usman Malik and Vivian Staheli. The production staff also includes Carolyn Kirsch, Shoko Yamamura and Dic Wheeler. Neely Bruce is the Opera Consultant, working closely with Gayathri and Jeff. The orchestra features members of Wesleyan's Taiko, Balinese Gamelan and Chinese music ensembles, 

and includes Anupa Khemadasa, Gabriel Kastelle, Sarah-Jane Ripa, Dirck Westervelt, Pete Steele, Tim Gaylord, Matt Albert, Michael Pestel, Alec McLane, Will Northlich-Redmond, Banning Eyre, Sandy Yudhistira, Yuki Ohmori and Fumi Tanakadate. Sound design is by Mick Bolduc with videography by Kerey Viswanathan. 

  

This performance is partially funded by the Middletown Commission on the Arts and Wesleyan University’s Music Department. 

For more information: www.phoolandeviopera.com