On Wednesday, April 13, 2011 the Mimesis Orchestra presents the world premiere of Mohammed Fairouz's first-ever opera, Sumeida's Song, at the Ethical Culture Society in New York City. The work represents the first major opera by an Arab composer, and is a major sprawling piece based on the classic Tawfiq El Hakim play, Song of Death. As told by the great playwright, the opera follows the return of Alwan to his Upper Egyptian peasant village, and his attempts to bring modernity to darkness in an effort to break a never ending cycle of violence. The opera also clearly dipicts the grave consequences of this pioneering energy, containing a moral lesson for a troubled region by intermingling classical tragedy with the unharnessed energy of youthful hope and idealism.
Sumeida's Song is an evening length work for full-orchestra conducted by Scott Dunn. Joining the Mimesis Orchestra are soprano Jo Ellen Miller, mezzo-soprano Barbara Rearick, tenor Robert Mack, and baritone Randall Scarlata. It will be a concert production. A portion of the ticket sales will go towards The Association for the Protection of the Environment (A.P.E.), a charitable organization working to improve the lives of the poor in Egypt with an interest in protecting the environment specifically with regards to man-made household waste.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 / 8pm
New York Society for Ethical Culture / 2 West 64th Street
Tickets: $25, $39, $55 ($12 with student ID)
• www.sumeidassong.com
