Oceanic Verses by Paola Prestini from Beth Morrison Projects on Vimeo.
A multimedia opera set in Southern Italy is due to premier at the Kennedy Center this month, written and composed by Paola Prestini. Titled “Oceanic Verses,” the concert and film project follows the stories of four characters — an archaeologist, a sailor, a peasant, and a soldier — as they explore the cultural and folkloric past of their Mediterranean setting.
During the performance, the actors perform the opera onstage as an accompanying film is projected onto a triptych screen behind them. It’s a unconventional performance model that rejects the linear narratives of cinema, emphasizing instead short abstract sequences and multimedia components that are pieced together and intertwined to recreate the complex atmosphere of Southern Italy. Combining the intimacy of the stage with a “video environment” that encapsulates the beautiful landscapes of Italy, Prestini’s project is a unique reflection on the artist’s perception of identity and exchange in the contemporary world. We asked Prestini a few questions about her new work:
