2017

The Hubble Cantata

The Hubble Cantata is a cosmic mystery set on earth and in the multiverse: A husband searches for his missing wife, combing the symbols of her life…The stars guide him to countless constellations, through endless galaxies. She returns to her husband in the form of photographs taken by The Hubble Telescope.

The Hubble Cantata is a multimedia cantata composed by Paola Prestini that features narration by astrophysicist Mario Livio and a libretto by Royce Vavrek.

released May 19, 2017

CREDITS

Music by Paola Prestini
Libretto by Royce Vavrek
Advisor & Narrator Dr. Mario Livio
Conducted by Julian Wachner
Featuring Nathan Gunn, baritone; Jessica Rivera, soprano

Performances by:

1B1 (Jan Bjøranger, Artistic Director)
NOVUS NY (Julian Wachner, Music Director)
The Washington Chorus (Julian Wachner, Music Director)
Brooklyn Youth Chorus (Dianne Berkun Menaker, Artistic Director)
3D Sound Design by Arup
Terence Caulkins, Lead 3D Sound Designer
Léonard Roussel, 3D Sound Designer
Raj Patel, Producer 3D Sound Experience
Photography Sasha Arutyunova, featuring Wendy Whelan
Arturo Olmos, Photo Assistant
Lara Quiñones, Hair and Makeup
Creative direction & concept Eliza McNitt
Package design by Ben Tousley
Produced & commissioned by VisionIntoArt/National Sawdust

Produced in association with Beth Morrison Projects
Original commission by Bay Chamber Concerts for A New Frontier 2013

Produced with support from
Jill & Bill Steinberg, Executive Producers
Time Warner Inc. in collaboration with 150
National Endowment for the Arts
Public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council
The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
Royal Norwegian Consulate General, New York

PRESS

“The kind of experimentation Prestini has lent to her work will help shape what masterpieces come out of the next 50 years”

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

The Hubble Cantata, composer Paola Prestini’s brilliant collaboration with librettist Royce Vavreck and the Hubble Space Telescope’s lead astrophysicist, Dr. Mario Livio. But in all other arenas, Hubble pushes its classical cosmic themes ever more upward than any orchestral work these ears have ear in a long time, upward and toward the stars..

OBSERVER

“Hubble Cantata … a work of extraordinary beauty.”

Classical TV