Hope and Despair: Opera at the Theatre Project
Donation protected
Summary
Hello! My name is Daniel Despins, and I'm a composer based in Baltimore. I am working with fellow composer Nathaniel Parks to present two brand new operas at the Baltimore Theatre Project on April 11, 2020. For this project, we will be collaborating with performers Baajah Mohammed, Claire Cooper, Alicia Hurtado, Rahzé Cheatham, and Mara Yaffee. The operas are as follows:
Mallory – Nathaniel Parks: Mallory is a one-act opera in six parts that follows a young couple, Brennan and Mallory, and their close friend, Loralei, as they navigate the difficulties of an unexpected cancer diagnosis that tests the strength of their bonds.
The Chains That Bind Us – Daniel Despins: The Devil has captured three characters, trapping them in purgatory, a realm suspended in time. The characters are promised a peaceful existence if they remain in the Devil’s grasp. It is up to each character to break the physical or mental chains that prevent their freedom.
An excerpt from "The Chains That Bind Us".
Our Story
In April of 2019, Nathaniel and I found ourselves with a similar problem: We were each writing operas that we felt were socially relevant, and we wanted to find a way to present these very human projects to the broader Baltimore community. I previously had a shortened version of my opera performed at the Peabody Institute, but the Peabody audience is often narrow, and we wanted to reach people who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to hear these poignant stories told.
After a great deal of thought, we settled on a solution to our problem: We decided to band together and present our operas in succession at the Baltimore Theatre Project, a local theater with a dedication to presenting a diverse array of original and experimental theatre, music, and dance. We reached out to Chris Pfingsten, our contact at the Theatre Project, and were able to set the date, April 11, 2020, for the performance.
Once we had a time and location established, we needed to find a series of collaborators willing to work on this project. We were fortunate enough to find five singers - Baajah Mohammed, Claire Cooper, Alicia Hurtado, Rahzé Cheatham, and Mara Yaffee - who were not only interested in performing our works, but who were also willing to take an active role in producing them. Baajah, Claire, and Alicia had previously performed in the premiere of "The Chains That Bind Us" and played extremely valuable roles in the opera's development.
Despite the amount of eager collaborators taking part in this project, it still won't be easy to put on. In order to make this project a reality, we need a fair amount of money to pay five singers, 17 instrumentalists, a creative team, fulfill our audio/video recording needs, and take care of the venue itself. Every dollar you donate will go to ensuring that our collaborators are fairly compensated and that the visual effects of these works are upheld to the highest professional standards. Thank you!
Hello! My name is Daniel Despins, and I'm a composer based in Baltimore. I am working with fellow composer Nathaniel Parks to present two brand new operas at the Baltimore Theatre Project on April 11, 2020. For this project, we will be collaborating with performers Baajah Mohammed, Claire Cooper, Alicia Hurtado, Rahzé Cheatham, and Mara Yaffee. The operas are as follows:
Mallory – Nathaniel Parks: Mallory is a one-act opera in six parts that follows a young couple, Brennan and Mallory, and their close friend, Loralei, as they navigate the difficulties of an unexpected cancer diagnosis that tests the strength of their bonds.
The Chains That Bind Us – Daniel Despins: The Devil has captured three characters, trapping them in purgatory, a realm suspended in time. The characters are promised a peaceful existence if they remain in the Devil’s grasp. It is up to each character to break the physical or mental chains that prevent their freedom.
An excerpt from "The Chains That Bind Us".
Our Story
In April of 2019, Nathaniel and I found ourselves with a similar problem: We were each writing operas that we felt were socially relevant, and we wanted to find a way to present these very human projects to the broader Baltimore community. I previously had a shortened version of my opera performed at the Peabody Institute, but the Peabody audience is often narrow, and we wanted to reach people who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to hear these poignant stories told.
After a great deal of thought, we settled on a solution to our problem: We decided to band together and present our operas in succession at the Baltimore Theatre Project, a local theater with a dedication to presenting a diverse array of original and experimental theatre, music, and dance. We reached out to Chris Pfingsten, our contact at the Theatre Project, and were able to set the date, April 11, 2020, for the performance.
Once we had a time and location established, we needed to find a series of collaborators willing to work on this project. We were fortunate enough to find five singers - Baajah Mohammed, Claire Cooper, Alicia Hurtado, Rahzé Cheatham, and Mara Yaffee - who were not only interested in performing our works, but who were also willing to take an active role in producing them. Baajah, Claire, and Alicia had previously performed in the premiere of "The Chains That Bind Us" and played extremely valuable roles in the opera's development.
Despite the amount of eager collaborators taking part in this project, it still won't be easy to put on. In order to make this project a reality, we need a fair amount of money to pay five singers, 17 instrumentalists, a creative team, fulfill our audio/video recording needs, and take care of the venue itself. Every dollar you donate will go to ensuring that our collaborators are fairly compensated and that the visual effects of these works are upheld to the highest professional standards. Thank you!
Organizer
Daniel Despins
Organizer
Baltimore, MD
Inspired to help? Start a fundraiser for someone you know
