Nov. 7: “Sol Invictus” (The Platform, Cambridge)
Global Arts Live’s new performing arts venue is officially opening its doors in Kendall Square. One of the first performances gracing the Takeda Theater comes from Compagnie Hervé Koubi, who bring contemporary dance, capoeira and urban movement from France, sharing artistry influenced by French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi’s Algerian roots and Mediterranean culture. The company will perform the Boston premiere of “Sol Invictus,” a work that pays tribute to the powerful, indestructible sun-god of ancient Rome. Accompanied by music from Swedish composer Mikael Karlson, and with passages from minimalist composer Steve Reich and Maxime Bodson, the piece emphasizes strength in the face of shattering times and the ways that we stay connected to each other.
Nov. 6-8: “Down in the Valley” (The Multicultural Arts Center, Cambridge)
Kurt Weill, the German-born American composer known for his collaborations with Bertolt Brecht, wrote a one-act folk opera, originally conceived for radio broadcast in 1945. A contemporary theatrical interpretation is coming to the ornate ballroom of the Multicultural Arts Center this weekend, courtesy of Opera Cambridge. The story begins in an Appalachian jail and centers around the doomed character Brack Weaver, who wonders why his beloved Jenny has not written to him. Told in flashbacks, we learn how the couple met and how Brack would eventually be swept into a knife fight that would land him in prison. Stage director David R. Gammons and music director Stephanie Beatrice lead the show, upholding Opera Cambridge’s mission of exposing audiences to “lesser-known operatic gems that deserve to be widely heard.” Come see the communal musical experience at one of four performances.
