This month I am presenting the piece I created in collaboration with writer Emmanuel Iduma, at Princeton University and at my studio, Company I, Park Avenue Armory, New York. Both are free – so why not stop by? Click here to watch our invitation. Scroll down to know more about the DETAILS.
Intimate Strangers, which premiered in 2018 as a John Zorn Commission at National Sawdust, is an interdisciplinary musical performance that portrays writer Emmanuel Iduma’s travels in several African countries.
Taking Nigeria as a point of departure, it describes several encounters the writer has along his journey from Lagos to Sarajevo along the coast. The journey takes unexpected turns, resulting in reflections on the sea, the desert as well as natural and artificial borders he is faced with. There is beauty in these encounters, even when they describe love and loss, grief and longing, displacement and war, privilege or apathy.
While Emmanuel represents himself, Sara Serpa along with the voices of Sofía Rei and Aubrey Johnson are simultaneously narrators, storytellers and spirits that travel along, opening several emotional doors through the piece. With music composed by Serpa, it features also Qasim Naqvi on modular synth and pianist Matt Mitchell.
Like echoes from a distant reality, Intimate Strangers aims to reflect on how we see the other and how we describe hospitality and humanity for future generations.
___________________
DETAILS:
Friday, November 8thJazz at Princeton University in collaboration with the Program in African Studies
12pm – Workshop with writer Emmanuel IdumaCreating with/around Music & Literature
Lee Rehearsal Room, Lewis Arts Complex
7.30pm – Intimate Strangers
with
Sofía Rei, Aubrey Johnson, Matt Mitchell, Qasim Naqvi and Emmanuel Iduma
Tapin Auditorium, Fine Hall , Princeton University
Sunday, November 24th, 6pm
Intimate Strangers
with
Tomas Cruz, Aubrey Johnson, Matt Mitchell, Judith Berkson and Emmanuel Iduma
Company I – Thompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory
RSVP to jwasilewski@armoryonpark.org