+++ Special Broadcast on NEPM +++

On Saturday, June 6 at 1:00pm, Classical NEPM will broadcast Sounds, Tears and Skins, a one-hour program featuring four new mini-operas performed by Ensemble Télémaque at the Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity in April.

The four composers are:  John Aylward, Yu-Hui Chang, David Dominque and Kate Soper.  Three of the composers are from Massachusetts: Aylward, Chang and Soper.  Both John Aylward and Kate Soper are from Northampton and Yu-Hui Chang is from Boston.  All of the composition were commissioned by Ensemble Télémaque and were premiered at Bombyx.  This will be the broadcast premiere.

Ensemble Télémaque is from Marseille, France and Raoul Lay is Télémaque’s founder and conductor. Télémaque often combines music and theater and all four works feature a vocalist and actress. All of the compositions deal with literature and artists with a connection to Marseille.  Because of time, pieces are excerpted, but all will be posted in their entirety on the web.

The four pieces are:

Yu-Hui Chang, Accidental Hero

The story of American heiress Mary Jayne Gold and her work helping exiles escape the Nazi’s during World War II.

John Aylward, Between Heaven & Earth

The story of German writer Franz Werfel and his flight from Germany through Marseille during World War II.

David Dominique, The Imposter

An imaginary tale of identity theft and two Harlem Renaissance writers, Claude McKay and Arna Bontemps.

Kate Soper, Antonin Artaud’s Drama of the Mind (Featuring Paolo Uccelo) 

The interaction of a 20th century avant-garde artist with two 15th century Italian artists.

The web page is now live on the Local Classical page and the radio show and audio to all of the pieces will be added on Saturday, June 6.