Atlas of Remote Islands is a contemporary opera by composer Nathan Hall, based on the 2009 book by Judith Schalansky, produced and realized by Opera on Tap Colorado, with the libretto by Alan Olejniczak.
This mysterious book is an atlas of fifty real, remote islands, stuffed with maps and prose-poem stories, more for the imagination than for navigation and offering more questions than answers. The audience experiences the histories and facts, lore and fantasies of these islands through the eyes of this main character — who in exploring distant worlds through the pages of the atlas unlocks worlds within themself.
About the Composer
Nathan Hall uses music as an artistic medium to explore a variety of fields including science, nature, the fine arts, history, and sexuality. There is an emotional resonance present in all of Nathan’s works, from his traditional classical pieces for chamber ensembles to experimental electronic pieces, sound sculptures, and multimedia projects. Nathan’s drive for making site-specific work is tied to his passions for travel and cultural exchange. He is a former Fulbright Fellow to Iceland, a McKnight Visiting Composer, and he holds his Doctorate in Musical Arts (DMA) from CU Boulder. His works have been performed in 13 countries and 21 US States, and he lives in Denver.
About the Organization
Opera on Tap’s mission is to expose new audiences to opera and classical music by taking it out of the concert hall and performing it in alternative venues, to aid young performers in their development and to promote and present new classical works of contemporary classical and operatic composers.
Opera on Tap Colorado maintains a busy and diversified performance schedule, with a monthly themed show at the Enigma Bazaar in Denver, Colorado. Singers have performed with local opera companies including Opera Colorado, Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Fort Collins Opera, Loveland Opera Theatre, and Boulder Opera.
About the Librettist
Alan Olejniczak is a San Francisco based opera librettist and playwright. This is Alan’s second opera with Nathan Hall with Unbound premiering in Denver in 2021. This year, Alan’s play Concerto premieres with the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma along with two opera workshops, Hypatia, with music by Afarin Monsouri and Minute to Midnight with Dante De Silva. Alan’s first opera, Death of Ivan Ilych with music by John Young which co-premiered in 2021 with Opera Orlando and Thompson Street Opera Company in Chicago. Alan currently has four other operas in development and set the text for a Christmas oratorio, Yosef and the Counseling Angel with composer Cole Thomason-Redus.
Your ticket to Atlas of Remote Islands includes admission to MCA Denver anytime before May 28. Simply show your ticket confirmation at the front desk of the museum.
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MCA Members
Members get discounts to all MCA Denver programs and events! Discount code shared via member email. Not a member yet? Memberships start at just $5/month! Learn more here.
