Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely
About Toshi
The Temptation Of St. Anthony
St. Anthony will be going to in October 2007!
Paris Opera Garnier
Nov/Dec 2005:
- 12 SOLD OUT Shows
- 1st Black Company to Perform
- BIGLovely the 1st Rock Band to Rock The House
HISTORY:
The Temptation Of St Anthony is an opera created by Bernice Johnson Reagon (composer/librettist) and Robert Wilson (director/staging/lights). The Orchestra is Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely, Musical Director: Toshi Reagon, and the cast is 16 incredible singer actors including Carl Hancock Rux, Christalyn Wright and Helga Davis. This Opera is based on the text of Flaubert’s The Temptation Of St. Anthony.
The work was conceived in NYC in May of 2003 the we continued to work Duisburg, Germany, and had our worl premier at the Gebläsehalle, Ruhrtriennale, in July 2003. Over the next 3 years we performed at the following places: Siracuse, Italy, Greek Theatre, Ortigia Festival, Peralada, Spain, Festival di Peralada, Santander, Spain, Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria, Festival de Santander, London, Great Britain, Sadler’s Wells, New York, U.S. BAM Opera House Bari, Italy Teatro Piccinni Amsterdam, Netherlands, Het Muziektheater Bilbao, Spain, Teatro Arriaga Madrid, Spain, Teatro Espanol
Sometimes in your life you get to do things you never thought you would do- see places you never thought you would see and work with folks that teach you something new every time you share a room with them.
All the while you are being innovative and revolutionary because everywhere you go people say “I have never seen anything like that before, thank you” - The Paris Opera house was our last scheduled performance and I do not know if it will happen again anywhere but I am so grateful to be a part of the experience.
CREDITS | |
Inspired by Gustave Flaubert’s text Direction, set design, lighting concept Robert Wilson Music and libretto Bernice Johnson Reagon Costumes by Geoffrey Holder Co-direction Ann Christin Rommen Collaboration to set design Stephanie Engeln Lighting design A.J. Weissbard Sound design Peter Cerone Music director Bernice Johnson Reagon Tour Music director and instrumental arrangements Toshi Reagon |
Band leader, guitar and vocals Toshi Reagon Guitar and vocals Judith Casselberry Electric guitar Adam Widoff Bass Fred Cash Drums Robert Burke Percussion Annette A. Aguilar Production delegate Carole Fierz Stage manager Sue Jane Stoker Technical director James Farula Producers Elisabetta di Mambro, Franco Laera Change Performing Arts |
Singers: Carl Hancock Rux and Helga Daviswith Stephanie Battle; Bukanla; Aleta Hayes; Darrin Frisby; Marcelle Lashley; Angela Kismet Lyles; Gloria McNeal; Conrad Neblett; Josette Newsam; James Staten; Jason Walker; Charles Williams; Leonard Wooldridge; Christalyn Wright |
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