The Comet / Poppea brings together seemingly disparate worlds connected by stories of cultural transformation. It juxtaposes Claudio Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea), an Italian opera from 1643 unfolding among the social divisions of ancient Rome; and the world premiere of The Comet, based on the 1920 science-fiction short story by sociologist and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois. Set in 1920s New York City, “The Comet” depicts a Black man and white woman as the only survivors after a comet hits Earth.
Presented on a turntable divided in two halves, these worlds unfold simultaneously, with the stage’s rotation creating a visual and sonic spiral for audiences—inviting associations, dissociations, collisions, and confluences.
“As the piece goes on, those two works start to leak into each other,” observes composer George Lewis. “Drawing on Du Bois’s own concept of ‘double consciousness,’ the opera is structured around a number of these doublings: points of repetition or intersection that underscore the dialogue between the two works and the relevance of that dialogue today.”
As director Yuval Sharon explains, “The Comet / Poppea explores exclusion in classical music by creating an uneasy tessellation between the Baroque and the contemporary, and by enacting the experience of double consciousness. It begins as a critique of the institution of opera and ends as a justification of the art form’s radical potential: in the unexpected harmony to be discovered in juxtaposition and its ability to invite a contemplation of both timely and timeless struggles.”
Developed over six years, The Comet / Poppea is realized through a landmark partnership among organizations across the United States, produced by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Cath Brittan, The Industry, AMOC* (American Modern Opera Company) Curtis Institute of Music, and Yale Schwarzman Center.
The Comet / Poppea Programs
The Comet / Poppea: Conversation with Yuval Sharon, George Lewis, Douglas Kearney, and Anthony Roth Costanzo
The performance on Sunday, June 16 at 2pm is followed by a conversation with director Yuval Sharon, composer George Lewis, librettist Douglas Kearney, and performer/producer Anthony Roth Costanzo on the themes and development of The Comet / Poppea.
Paul Holdengräber in Conversation with Yuval Sharon: Turning Opera On Its Head
"Dissonance
(if you are interested)
leads to discovery."
~ William Carlos Williams
The performance on Saturday, June 22 at 2pm is followed by a conversation with director Yuval Sharon and curator of public curiosity and cultural interlocutor, Paul Holdengräber on The Comet / Poppea and Sharon’s forthcoming book, A New Philosophy of Opera.
The Comet / Poppea
Concept and direction: Yuval Sharon
Music composition (The Comet): George Lewis
Libretto: Douglas Kearney** based on a short story by W.E.B. Du Bois
Music composition (L'incoronazione di Poppea): Claudio Monteverdi
Libretto: Giovanni Francesco Busenello
Music director: Marc Lowenstein
Scenic design: Mimi Lien
Lighting design: John Torres
Costume design: Oana Botez
Sound design: Mark Grey
Dramaturgy: Robert Gooding-Williams and Wendy Heller
Cast
The Comet / Poppea features a rotating cast of performers from Los Angeles and New York. Engagements listed below are subject to change.
Lindsay Patterson Abdou (Love / Nellie). Performing: June 16, 2pm; June 20, 5pm; June 21, 8pm; & June 22, 2pm
Cedric Berry** (Jim). Performing June 15, 8pm; June 20, 5pm; June 21, 8pm; & June 23, 2pm
Amanda Lynn Bottoms (Ottone / Virtue). Performing: All Performances
Anthony Roth Costanzo*** (Nero / Julia’s Father). Performing: June 14, 8pm; June 15, 8pm; June 16, 2pm; June 20, 8pm; June 21, 8pm; June 22, 2pm; June 23, 2pm
Kiera Duffy (Julia). Performing: June 14, 8pm; June 16, 2pm; June 18, 8pm; June 20, 5pm; June 21, 8pm; June 22, 8pm; & June 23, 2pm
James Hayden** (Seneca). Performing: All Performances
Laurel Irene (Julia). Performing: June 15, 8pm; June 20, 8pm; June 21, 5pm; & June 22, 2pm
Eric Jurenas (Nero / Julia’s Father) Performing: June 18, 8pm; June 20, 5pm; June 21, 5pm; & June 22, 8pm
Joanna Lynn-Jacobs (Poppea). Performi
Joelle Lamarre (Love / Nellie). Performing: June 14, 8pm; June 15, 8pm; June 18, 8pm; June 20, 8pm; June 21, 5pm; June 22, 8pm; & June 23, 2pm
Whitney Morrison (Ottavia / "Friend" / Fortune). Performing: All Performances
Davóne Tines*** (Jim). Performing June 14, 8pm; June 16, 2pm; June 18, 8pm; June 20, 8pm; June 21, 5pm; June 22, 2pm; & June 22, 8pm
Nardus Williams (Poppea). Performing: June 14, 8pm; June 15, 8pm; June 16, 2pm: June 18, 8pm; June 20, 8pm; June 21, 8pm; & June 22, 8pm
Mikaela Elson (Ottone / Virtue, understudy)
Ben Lin (Seneca, understudy)
Instrumentalists
Doug Balliett*** (Double Bass)
Matt Cook (Percussion)
Gabriel Crist (Harpsichord)
Miranda Cuckson*** (Viola)
Emi Ferguson*** (Flute)
Keir GoGwilt*** (Violin)
richard valitutto (Piano)
Coleman Itzkoff*** (Cello)
Eric Tinkerhess (Viola de Gamba)
Jason Koji Yoshida (Theorbo)
** The Industry Company Member
*** AMOC* Company Member
The Comet / Poppea is made possible with generous support from Lead Sponsor, Ellen Michelson.
Additional generous support for The Comet / Poppea is provided by Founding Sponsors, Carol Stein, Diamonstein-Spielvogel Foundation, Jeff Goodby, and T. June & Simon K.C. Li Charitable Fund.
This presentation of The Comet / Poppea is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Lenore S. and Bernard A. Greenberg Foundation, Joan Wynn, D. Stuart Meiklejohn, Ruth Gilliland & Arthur Rieman, Sue Tsao, Sasha & William Anawalt, Fariba Ghaffari, Raulee Marcus, Laura Maslon, Nancy & Barry Sanders, Maurice Singer, Yuval Bar-Zemer, Deborah Irmas, Sigrid Burton, Doris Shimabukuro, Carol Eliel & Tom Muller, and Adele Yellin.
The Comet, composed by George Lewis with Libretto by Douglas Kearney is commissioned by AMOC*
Additional programming for The Comet / Poppea is provided by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The Comet / Poppea is presented at MOCA as a part of Wonmi's WAREHOUSE PROGRAMS.
Wonmi’s WAREHOUSE Programs is organized by Alex Sloane, Associate Curator, and is produced by Amelia Charter, Producer of Performance and Programs with Michele Huizar, Programming Assistant, The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles.
Wonmi's WAREHOUSE Programs is founded by Wonmi & Kihong Kwon and Family.
