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A chamber oratorio for guitarist/orator A collaboration between guitarist Colin McAllister and composer Christopher Adler, Aeneas in the Underworld is a captivating and unique project combining oratory and music for a solo performer who recites the sixth book of Vergil's epic story, Aeneid, in the original Latin, while playing a guitar that is subjected to drastic retuning, preparations and playing implements. The soloist, embodying the extraordinary mastery of Aeneas, the hero, is accompanied by a second guitarist, string quartet and electronics. The story recounts the hero's descent into the underworld and fateful meeting with the shade of his father, who reveals to the hero the future glories of Rome. Projected subtitles feature a brand new English translation by classicist Khang Le, commissioned specifically for this production. This immersive experience appeals not only to musicians, but also afficionados of classics, Roman history, and poetry. Following premiere performances in March 2019 at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, and ArtShare Los Angeles, this production is now available for booking. Colin McAllister (guitar) and Christopher Adler (media) will work with a local guitarist and string quartet to minimize travel costs. Both the second guitar part and the string quartet parts may also be undertaken by advanced students. Please contact us to book a performance. Download the full program note as a formatted PDF here. Complete performance video
Promotional trailer (2 minutes)
Premiere performances Complete oratorio premiered by Colin McAllister, Pablo Gómez and the Veronika String Quartet, March 18, 2019, Chapman Foundations Recital Hall, UCCS Additional performances Complete oratorio, with Colin McAllister, Pablo Gómez, Batya MacAdam-Somer, Emily Call, Annabelle Terbetski and Jennifer Bewerse: Return to christopheradler.com |
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