Who was Nadia Boulanger? Why did thousands of musicians flock to France to study with “the most influential teacher since Socrates?” Find out as Lanesboro Arts presents “NADIA,” at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro, MN.
In a mesmerizing one woman tour-de-force marrying chamber music with theater, actress/singer Adriana Zabala explores the memories and secrets behind the legendary and charismatic music teacher, Nadia Boulanger. Music performed by the pianist Timothy Lovelace and the Bakken Trio’s violinist Stephanie Arado triggers Nadia’s memories of her life, the deaths of her father and lover, the complex relationship she had with her sister Lili (“the true genius of the family”) and the “crazy pleasure” she feels teaching. Nadia Boulanger’s brilliance and magnetic personality are showcased in master classes and in private lessons with Copland, Francaix and Piazzola.
The imaginative Stephen Epp focuses on symbolism in his spare yet playful direction of this original Bakken Trio production based on Boulanger’s own quotes, and on scenes recounted by Boulanger students to scriptwriter Mina Fisher. Nadia’s own music and music of her vastly diverse students – Piazzola and Quincy Jones, Lili Boulanger and Copland – permeates the play, even as music formed the backbone of Nadia Boulanger’s life. NADIA is the compelling story of a woman tenaciously overcoming sexism in early twentieth century Paris to make an unparalleled impact on the musical world.
NADIA, a Bakken Trio production written and created by Mina Fisher, premiered on the subscription series of The Bakken Trio at MacPhail Center for Music in September 2017 directed by Steven Epp. It starred Christina Baldwin as Nadia, and Bakken Trio musicians Stephanie Arado as The Violinist, Pitnarry Shin as The Cellist, and guest Michael Kim as The Pianist.
Mezzo – soprano Adriana Zabala (Nadia) enjoys a vibrant career that spans performance and recording of new opera, song, and concert works, as well as beloved operatic roles, traditional concert and oratorio works, German Lieder, French Mélodie, and American and Spanish song. As the title character in the American Premiere of Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio at the Minnesota Opera, Adriana Zabala was praised by The Wall Street Journal as showing “tremendous stamina and boy-like flair.” The New York Times hailed her as “a vivid, fearless presence,” and the L.A. Times as “extraordinary” for her portrayal of the Barbarian Girl in the American premiere of Philip Glass’ opera.
Currently a proud member of the voice faculty at Yale University, Zabala recently recorded Exhilaration: Dickinson and Yeats Songs about which Opera News said: “Singing with uncommon clarity and natural beauty, Zabala seems to be deep inside the poems.” She has since performed the songs in Salzburg, in Carnegie Hall, and in Minneapolis. Long interested in the Boulanger sisters, Zabala recently commissioned a transcription of Lili Boulanger’s song cycle “Les Clairieres dans le ciel”.
Photo included: Adriana Zabala as “Nadia”
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Please note:
Masks will be required for this event.
The St. Mane Theatre box office will open at 6:30 p.m. the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold in-person beginning at that time.
Each ticket purchased with a bank card will be charged an additional processing fee of $0.99. Patrons can avoid this processing fee by paying via cash or check in the Lanesboro Arts Gallery, or before the show in the St. Mane Theatre lobby.
If you are unable to purchase tickets online or need additional assistance, you may try calling 507-467-2446 to purchase a ticket over the phone during business hours. Tickets are also sold in-person during business hours at Lanesboro Arts Gallery.
We will have a list of the ticket buyer names at the box office beginning at 6:30 p.m. If the buyer and their guests arrive together, no physical receipt or proof of purchase is needed in order to be admitted to the event–we will have a list!
Alternatively, attendees can present a printed copy of the ticket PDF the ticket buyer was e-mailed or simply pull it up and present it on a smart device.
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