ALBANY, N.Y. (February 15, 2007) -- The University at Albany Performing Arts Center received a $14,000 grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) to host a residency by Squonk Opera. The group will develop the show "Albany: The Opera", which will celebrate the Capital Region by incorporating an original score, local artwork, visual images and content specific to the community, film documentation and interview footage. The performance will also feature UAlbany students as part of the vocal, music and dance components.
Squonk Opera, a Pittsburgh-based ensemble of visual artists and musicians, will develop "Albany: The Opera" by visiting the campus and surrounding area in March. During a week-long, intensive stay, the group will interact with the University community, present workshops, conduct live interviews, research statistics and shoot video footage to develop the show, which will illustrate what makes the city and its University unique.
Live performances of "Albany: The Opera" will weave dance, humor, video, giant puppetry and innovative props with music. The show will debut at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on April 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale at $18 for the general public and $12 for students at the box office.
The performance is part of Squonk Opera's newest project, which takes the name of a host city and creates a multi-media spectacle specific to each site.
PennPAT is a program developed and funded by the Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the Pew Charitable Trusts. It is administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
