Unique New Work Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe Continues: THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL
Company:
Maureen Fleming
Unique New Work Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe Continues
THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL
Now through October 27 at La MaMa
"Deeply moving… one of those rare moments when human capacity reaches its limits and then goes beyond itself." — Solas an Léinn, Ireland (on Fleming's B. Madonna)
La MaMa presents Guggenheim artist Maureen Fleming in the World Premiere of THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL, a celebration of her 70th birthday and 35 years since she made her 1989 La MaMa debut. Created, choreographed, and performed by Fleming, this unique production features brilliant lighting and geometric moving sculptures by Christopher Odo and a sound design by Brett Jarvis with hypnotic live piano by Bruce Brubaker and violinist Tim Fain on film performing music by Philip Glass and Brian Eno. Performances run thru October 27 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa.
In THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL, Maureen Fleming combines surreal movement poetry and mesmerizing visuals inspired by the paintings of American artist Georgia O’Keeffe in a sensual journey crystallizing mystical femininity across generations. Moving beyond beauty to provide an ultimately redemptive response to suffering, the capacity for endurance and healing, for self-creation and self-destruction, THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL is a glorious assertion of femininity.
Maureen Fleming is renowned for her original fusion of visual art and movement theater. Born in Japan to Irish-American parents, a childhood car accident and subsequent spinal deformity left her with unique movement abilities. With the discipline of a classicist and the imagination of an iconoclast, Fleming connects cultures and art forms in an interdisciplinary celebration of femininity and the universality of the soul’s journey. A Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar to Ireland, S. Korea, Colombia and Latvia, her solo and group works have toured including five continents including the Spoleto Festival in Italy, FILO Festival Brazil, Performing America’s Tour Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay, the O’ Shaughnessy Women of Substance Series in St. Paul, Jacob’s Pillow Festival, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Emerson Majestic and Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and NY City Center Fall for Dance Festival. www.MaureenFleming.com.
Bruce Brubaker (pianist). In live performances from the Hollywood Bowl to Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, from Hong Kong to France’s International Festival at La Roque d'Anthéron, and in recordings for ECM, InFiné, Bedroom Community, and Arabesque — Bruce Brubaker is the new musician, visionary virtuoso, artistic provocateur. Named “Young Musician of the Year” by Musical America, Bruce Brubaker performs Mozart with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and plays Philip Glass’s piano music around the world. Profiled on NBC’s Today Show, Brubaker has performed with Meredith Monk, Nico Muhly, Lorraine Hunt, and John Cage. Brubaker is featured on Nico Muhly’s album Drones and Meredith Monk's Piano Songs. Last fall InFiné released Brubaker’s 12th studio album Eno Piano, including a selection of Brian Eno’s iconic ambient music, including Music for Airports. He is chair at Boston’s New England Conservatory.
La MaMa is dedicated to the artist and all aspects of the theatre. La MaMa's vision of nurturing new artists and new work remains as strong today as it was when Ellen Stewart first opened the doors in 1961. La MaMa has presented more than 5,000 productions by 150,000 artists of all nations, cultures, races and identities. Cultural pluralism and ethnic diversity are inherent in the work created on our stages. Here, artists find a supportive environment for artistic exploration, and audiences are part of the development of an artist’s work over time. A recipient of the 2018 Regional Theater Tony Award, and more than 30 Obie Awards and dozens of Drama Desk, Bessie, and Villager Awards, La MaMa has been a creative home for thousands of artists, many of whom have made lasting contributions to the arts, including Blue Man Group, Ping Chong, André De Shields, Adrienne Kennedy, Harvey Fierstein, Diane Lane, Warren Leight, Michael Mayer, Tadeusz Kantor, Bette Midler, Meredith Monk, Peter Brook, David and Amy Sedaris, Julie Taymor, Kazuo Ohno, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
THE ALCHEMIST’S VEIL runs October 17 - 27, Thursday – Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm. The Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa is located at 66 East 4th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Aves -- accessible from the F train at 2nd Ave). Tickets are $30 / $25 for students/seniors, available at 646-430-5374 or www.lamama.org. (Note: this performance contains nudity and may not be suitable for all audiences.)
Share Your Audience Review. Your Words Are Valuable to Dance.
Are you going to see this show, or have you seen it? Share "your" review here on The Dance Enthusiast. Your words are valuable. They help artists, educate audiences, and support the dance field in general. There is no need to be a professional critic. Just click through to our Audience Review Section and you will have the option to write free-form, or answer our helpful Enthusiast Review Questionnaire, or if you feel creative, even write a haiku review. So join the conversation.
