Thereminist Armen Ra debuts METAL, a multimedia cycle of five arias selected from the repertoire of Maria Callas, at the HOT! Festival in the New Museum of Contemporary Art, NYC.
Special guests narrate, while the theremin voices the soprano solos against a living metallic backdrop of Callas herself.
Thursday July 9 - 7:00 PM
Cost:$15 general / $12 members
New Museum of Contemporary Art, NYC
253 Bowery (south of Stanton)
New York, New York
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I found a cell phone under my seat and took it back to the sound booth, thinking it lost. Wouldn't you know it was a plant for some of the cell phone effects Bora Yoon used in her act which opened the evening. Bora's well known for surround sound choral works and lush live sound-scape pieces created using sung themes and very simple objects with very advanced effects. She's definitely got her patch cords in order and her performance was extremely fluid. It was a great pairing with the structured passion of Armen's set.
The theater at the museum was larger than I expected, very simple and nice with an open raised stage and giant smooth wall for projections. The show was almost sold out with well over a hundred music lovers.
I'd seen a celebrity in the lobby, but didn't know what was coming: Armen's guest narrator was one of the most famous voices in New York downtown theater, the actor and playwright Edgar Oliver! His reading of some aria lyrics was a perfect fit.
The visual breadth of this concert may well have been the best setting yet for Armen's playing. You'd think such massive visuals would eclipse a single player standing in shadows, but his intense presence and concentration was still riveting. Projections became an extension of the music being created on stage. The non-stop format made for a breathless journey through pure music that was entertaining in every way.
Armen has always been one of the most expressive and musical thereminists. Since he moved to L.A. it's been a while since I've seen him. An added delight in hearing an artist, and old favorites over time, is enjoying the subtle changes in their music making.
It seemed to me he's understanding and embracing the "true" voice of the theremin, and accepting the nature of the instrument at a deeper level. Not imitating a soprano, especially in the quicker or jumpy bits, but letting the theremin sound like itself naturally without pressing it into some other mold. Armen sounded relaxed in the control field, his intonation was excellent and his phrasing is always exquisitely musical. The playing was honest: centered, secure and confident - the music just flowed from that core.
The program featured "Casta Diva" from Norma, "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca, "Sola, perduta, abbandonata" from Manon Lescaut, "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana" from La wally, and a projected montage of Maria Callas archival footage edited to the backing tracks to form an organic companion to the vision of Armen pulling sear beauty out of thin air.