“A bizarrely colored alphabet,
in which each letter was a disguise…”,
The opening to Albert Giraud’s poem L’Alphabet describes the career of Claire Delbos, pseudonym for the wife of Olivier Messiaen, whose music was unheard and unrecognized during her career because of her gender. Susan Narucki, soprano and Donald Berman, piano, offer her music alongside modern composers Georgina Derbez (Mexico), Judith Weir (Great Britain ), Sharon Huang (China), and Marti Epstein (US), with music that poses questions about the meaning of gestures, from a piece probing how we make sense of learning (“The Art of Touching the Keyboard”), to how we escape oppression (“The Intelligence of Flowers,”), how we reconcile longing for home in a new land (“A Flowing Brook in Hunan”) to Derbez’ settings of Emily Dickinson and Giraud, which question language fragmented into utterance.
Main Stage Series
Main Stage events are where the magic happens. Experience performances that inspire, challenge, and resonate long after the final note. You’ll hear bold artistic ideas and exceptional musicianship, often featuring Longy’s distinguished faculty-artists and innovative artistic partners. Each event offers a rare opportunity to be part of artistry that is both inspirational in the moment and lasting in its impact.
