Beware the Ides of March
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Saturday, March 2, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
Fire Haus Projects and
The Unconservatory presents
the world premiere of Macabrifesto
“Always Remember,” THE musical about the Cuban-American experience by Marilyn Morales, was just recognized by BroadwayWorld in the Miami Metro region as “Best New Play or Musical,” ahead of 15 other nominated shows. On the heels of this award, a new world premiere collaboration between Fire Haus Projects and The Unconservatory is set for this March: “Beware the Ides of March!”
MACABRIFESTO
by Kirk Whipple
“Macabrifesto” is a neo-romantic choral fantasy in 8 movements for 2 pianos 8 hands, choir, solo vocalists, double bass and percussion. Whipple's score is composed of texts from 7 classic American and British Gothic poems and an original offering from his own pen.
In collaboration with The Unconservatory, Fire Haus Projects, Downtowner Concert Series and Steinway Pianos, the world premiere will take place at the downtown First Church Miami (at the Elsner Hotel), 398 NE 5th Street, Miami, FL 33132:
March 1st, 2nd @ 8:00 PM
March 3rd @ 4:00 PM
At the heart of this exciting new project is the United Nations Piano Quartet (The UNPQ). This revolutionary 2 piano / 4 pianist ensemble was born in 2006 as a combination of two internationally acclaimed duos:
- Kirk Whipple (USA)
Marilyn Morales (CUBA)
- Frédéric Chauvel (FRANCE)
Mark Solé - Leris (ENGLAND)
Since then, the quartet has successfully concertized throughout Southern Europe, Ukraine, and the United States winning an important prize in the Russian Vologda international competition for composers with Whipple’s "Fives," which the UNPQ recorded with other international selections in Miami in 2008.
For “Macabrifesto,” the UNPQ is welcoming their newest member: Soraya Zlitni from France. She will replace Frédéric Chauvel, who has taken a sabbatical due to health issues.
The program of “Macabrifesto” is as follows:
1. The night is darkening round me - Emily Brontë
2. Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll
3. A Ballad of Suicide - G.K. Chesterton
4. The Three Witches (from Macbeth) - William Shakespeare
5. A Poison Tree - William Blake
6. Because I could not stop for death - Emily Dickinson
7. Intersection – Kirk Whipple
8. The Raven - Edgar Allan Poe
Featured vocalists on this program will include:
Megan Barrera, soprano
Robert Brice, tenor
Ivan Conrad, baritone
Laura Fernandez, soprano
Irene Gonzalez, alto / mezzo soprano
Vocalists from the New World School of the Arts College Opera Theatre Ensemble (directed by Megan Barrera) will comprise the chorus.
Two other aspects of this world premiere event add to the intrigue. First, as “Macabrifesto” is a celebration of the union of poetry and music, these performances will be communicated by American Sign Language interpreters. And, in online and printed publications for this project, original graphic images by California artist Evan Johnsen will be presented. In conjunction with these performances, an exhibition of Mr. Johnsen’s graphic art works, along with other of his works, will be presented at Casa Artali, 855 NE 76 Street, Miami, February 24th from 3 to 7 PM.
The cherry on top…
In celebration of the French composer’s March birthday, also on these performances will be The UNPQ’s crowd favorite, “Bolero” by Maurice Ravel, arranged by Kirk Whipple.
For more info, please visit:
http://www.firehausprojects.org/live-events/bewaretheidesofmarch/
A limited number of Golden Tickets and Culture Shock tickets are available by reservation.
To contact Fire Haus Projects:
(305) 519-0402
This event series is funded, in part, with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts, Citizens Interested in Arts, Inc., Steinway Pianos, First Church Miami and Miami Downtown Development Authority.