Dark Sisters

Vodcast 2: Librettist Stephen Karam gives his insight into the story of "Dark Sisters". Video by Jake Roper.

Dark Sisters: Stephen Karam from dark sisters opera on Vimeo.

Vodcast 1: Composer Nico Muhly discusses "Dark Sisters" and his trip to Colorado City.  Video by Jake Roper.

Dark Sisters: Nico Muhly from dark sisters opera on Vimeo.

Podcast 6: Our “Staging a Contemporary Opera” podcasts concludes with Part 2. In this podcast, Dark Sisters director Rebecca Taichman, composer Nico Muhly and conductor Neal Goren discuss the challenges of directing opera, the benefits of “tablework” and the workshop process, the role of physical movement in DARK SISTERS, and the relationship between vocal writing and characterization in the opera.

You can subscribe to all the podcasts in this series through iTunes.

Dark Sisters: Staging A Contemporary Opera, Part 2 by Dark Sisters Opera

Podcast 5: “Staging a Contemporary Opera”. In Part 1 of this two-part series, director Rebecca Taichman, composer Nico Muhly and conductor Neal Goren discuss the challenges of staging a contemporary opera, how the score guides the staging process, creating characters in opera, and the use of hymns in the music.

Dark Sisters: Staging A Contemporary Opera, Part 1 by Dark Sisters Opera

Podcast 4: Dark Sisters librettist Stephen Karam discusses the opera’s libretto, the collaboration process with composer Nico Muhly, the themes of loneliness and selfless faith, how the red-earthed Arizona landscape inspired the libretto, and the complex and unique relationship between music and words in opera.

Dark Sisters: Librettist Stephen Karam discusses the opera by Dark Sisters Opera

Podcast 3:  Nico Muhly and Ken Verdoia discuss polygamy, the plural marriage community, and the New England roots of LDS and FLDS.

Dark Sisters: A Conversation with Nico Muhly and Ken Verdoia (Part 3) by Dark Sisters Opera

Podcast 2:  Nico Muhly and Ken Verdoia explore the geography of early America in the time of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, the idea of “This Is The Place”, and religious education within the LDS community.

Dark Sisters: A Conversation with Nico Muhly and Ken Verdoia (Part 2) by Dark Sisters Opera

Podcast 1:  Nico Muhly, composer, and Ken Verdoia, historian, discuss the ramifications of the 1953 Short Creek raid, the FLDS and the definition of family, and plural marriage in the context of the American experience.

Dark Sisters: A Conversation with Nico Muhly and Ken Verdoia (Part 1) by Dark Sisters Opera