BMOP-A-LOOLA
Boston Chapter Wraps Up Three-Year Collaboration

(Sounding Board, June 2003) On June 7 and 10, a three-year collaboration between the Boston Chapter, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and composer Elena Ruehr culminated in the premiere of "Toussaint Before the Spirits," a new dance opera, at the Opera Unlimited festival.

Based on Madison Smartt Bell's book "All Souls Rising," the work spans 35 minutes and incorporates four singers, six dancers, and an ensemble of string quartet, bass, harpsichord, percussion, and oboe. The libretto by Bell and Elizabeth Spires tells the story of Toussaint L'Ouverture, an 18th century Haitian slave who became a dynamic leader in the Haitian independence movement during the French Revolution.

"He was a great hero of Haiti, intimately caught up in both the European fight for the New World and the creation of the modern democratic state," Ruehr says of L'Ouverture. "It is amazing that there aren't more operas about him."

Through her residency, Ruehr collaborated with world-renowned artists from a variety of disciplines. The production combined the talents of opera singer Stephen Salters, choreographer and stage director Nicola Hawkins, novelist Bell, and the orchestra. The residency also provided Ruehr with opportunities to work with the broader community. As part of M4: Making Modern Music Matter, BMOP's educational initiative, she coordinated and moderated pre-concert lectures, organized informal concerts at a local folk club, gave public lectures, and spoke at colleges.

Ruehr also worked with the Charles Sumner Elementary School in Roslindale, Mass. Approximately 100 of the school's fifth graders participated in educational workshops led by Ruehr and BMOP artists, in which they explored orchestral instruments and recorded their own CD.

The residency also involved Boston's Project Step, a program that prepares young, gifted musicians for careers in classical music. Participants and their families received free tickets to BMOP concerts. Ruehr joined them for the performances. Following the concerts, she discussed the music with students and parents, and answered questions about pursuing a musical career.

This three-year project is the chapter's biggest residency to date. The chapter hopes to use it as a model for bringing arts, community, and educational organizations together with artists, audiences, and the broader community.