The pandemic saved artists and artwork lovers aside, however the premiere of Villainy on Oct. 22, goals to carry viewers a recent, immersive perspective on collaboration by way of an expertise of movie, dance and dwell piano.
Vincent Ho, a Calgary-based modern composer and three-time Juno Award nominee, composed a set of Supervillain études for a piano duo. Ho delved into the psychological profiles of Batman’s adversaries such because the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman and interpreted their narcissism, obsessive-compulsive, post-traumatic and different issues inside his compositions.
Emil Agopian, award profitable director, created Villainy to accompany Ho’s compositions. Agopian incorporates the trendy storytelling medium of music and video whereas honouring basic kinds.
“You take a look at silent movies like Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin or what have you ever, that’s the type of custom that I personally love,” Agopian stated.
Lana Henchell, a prime prize profitable pianist with a PhD in piano efficiency, and Akiko Tominaga, an acclaimed live performance pianist who additionally has a PhD in efficiency, will play the dwell rating on grand pianos through the premiere of Villainy on the Globe Theatre.
The preliminary catalyst for the venture got here when Henchell and Tominga have been launched to Ho’s Supervillain études. Henchell and Tominga have been so touched by the items, they commissioned Ho to interpret it right into a piano duo.
Yukichi Hattori, former Alberta Ballet principal dancer, was enlisted to star and choreograph Villainy alongside Marie France Forcier and Kelley McKinley, additionally Alberta Ballet alumni. They labored along with Agopian to create a singular model of Ho’s characters.
Agopian discovered the multidisciplinary collaboration venture to be an expertise of nice progress and achievement. Everybody concerned, from the manager producer to the manufacturing assistant, is an artist, so there was a mutual respect shared by all.
“So, hoping to encourage individuals to be interdisciplinary, to contemplate another human being or another inventive, somebody who may be introduced into one thing you’re doing, as a result of that’s the place new blood is minted,” Agopian stated.
Not solely do the creators intention for the premiere to be a wealthy expertise of visuals and dwell grand pianos, however Agopian additionally needs to encourage different artists to step out of their lanes and into artwork’s multiverse.
To buy tickets for the dwell efficiency and for extra details about the Villainy premiere go to their web site.
Villainy will even premiere on their web site on-line on Nov. 4.