Modlin Center for the Arts to present Civil War music-theatre piece,
'Rappahannock County'; UR President Ed Ayers part of creative team

 

In conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, the
University of Richmond's Modlin Center for the Arts will present a new
music-theatre piece, "Rappahannock County," Sept.13-15, 7:30 p.m., in
Alice Jepson Theatre.

 

Drawn from diaries, letters and personal accounts, this fictional song
cycle explores the war's impact, from secession to defeat, on a
community of Virginians-black and white, rich and poor, soldiers and
nurses, widows and survivors. A multi-media event, the production
incorporates projections of Matthew Brady's renowned Civil War
photography, illustrations, documents and other moving visuals. Five
principal singers perform more than 30 roles, backed by an ensemble of
17 musicians.

 

Co-commissioned by the Modlin Center, "Rappahannock County" premiered in
April at the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk. The creative team
includes composer Ricky Ian Gordon, creator of the Obie Award-winning
"Orpheus and Euridice" and the acclaimed opera "The Grapes of Wrath,"
and Broadway librettist-lyricist Mark Stephen Campbell, ("Volpone,"
"Later Same Evening" and "Songs from an Unmade Bed").

 

Edward L. Ayers, president of the University of Richmond and historian
of the American South, served as creative adviser. The team drew
inspiration from Ayers' award-winning book, "In the Presence of Mine
Enemies, Civil War in the Heart of America, 1859-1863," which tells the
story of one Northern and one Southern community during the war.

 

"Ricky and Mark evoked, in a way I've never seen before, the war's
realities for a wide range of characters. Their music and lyrics are
powerful and telling," said Ayers.

 

"The personal is political. The piece brings the sense of a lens closing
in on a spectrum of individuals and their feelings around slavery and
morality in a profound and poignant way. The cunning libretto by Mark
Campbell beautifully shows what everyone has to lose," said Gordon. 

 

Along with the Modlin Center, the commissioning partners are the
Virginia Arts Festival, the Virginia Opera and Texas Performing Arts at
the University of Texas at Austin.

 

Tickets are $45, with discounts for seniors (age 62 and older) and
children (age 12 and younger), and are available online at
modlin.richmond.edu, at the Modlin Center box office or by phone at
804-289-8980.

 

Box office hours are 2-5 p.m. weekdays through August, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
weekdays in September, and 90 minutes prior to performances. For more
information, contact the box office at 804-289-8980 or
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> .

Visit modlin.richmond.edu for updates on related events and activities.

 
 

______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html