Contact: Debbie Carton
Librarian
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6236
West Edge Opera’s As One, a Transgender Story at Berkeley Public Library
Berkeley, CA July 8, 2015 — Gender topics are making headlines from Caitlyn Jenner to Laverne Cox. Berkeley Public Library welcomes West Edge Opera for a free discussion that illuminates the brave and painful growth of a transgender person in As One, their upcoming production of this Bay Area chamber opera. Join us for a sneak peek performance on Thursday, July 23 at 12:00pm in the third floor Community Meeting Room of the Central Library, located at 2090 Kittredge and Shattuck.
Three co-creators of the opera – composer Laura Kaminsky, co-librettists Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed – will speak about their 2014 work. Written for two singers and string quartet, As One illuminates the brave and painful growth of a transgender person. This chamber opera is based on the life experience of co-librettist Kimberly Reed. For more information, call 510-981-6236
Composer Kaminsky received a Koussevitzky Prize for her work, Piano Concerto, and is currently composer in residence at American Opera Projects. As One received unanimous praise at the world premier last September at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Co-librettist Mark Campbell was recently profiled in Opera News as one of 25 artists “poised…to become major forces in opera in the coming decade.” The opera Silent Night, which he wrote with composer Kevin Puts for Minnesota Opera, received the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Co-librettist Kimberly Reed is a transgender filmmaker, editor and producer. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, she was awarded multiple fellowships including a Yaddo Artists’ Community Fellowship. Reed is a summa cum laude graduate of UC Berkeley.
This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org)
The Central Library is located at 2090 Kittredge Street and is open Monday, noon - 8:00pm, Tuesday, 10:00am - 8:00pm, Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00am - 6:00pm, and Sunday from 1:00pm - 5:00pm.
Wheelchair accessible. To request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations for this event, please call 510-981-6195 (voice) or 510-548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will help ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs. Visit the library’s website: www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.
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