Fall 2019 

Spring 2019 

Othello in the Seraglio: The Tragedy of Sümbül the Black Eunuch

Presented by WBUR

Othello in the Seraglio, a uniquely powerful “coffeehouse opera,” tells an age-old story of passionate love and murderous jealousy, of a black slave at the 17th century Ottoman Court who rises to power and riches, only to come to a tragic end. The multi-layered script is by NEC music historian Robert Labaree, while the stunning score, by Boston composer and Grammy nominee Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, weaves together Italian Baroque and Turkish sources with his own newly-composed music into a tapestry of uncanny beauty. Othello is performed on European period instruments and traditional Turkish instruments by an ensemble of 12 instrumentalists, singers and a dramatic storyteller.

Location, Date/Time, Price:
March 7, CitySpace, 890 Comm. Ave. Boston, MA,
Pre-concert talk with WBUR’s “On-Point” Producer, Stefano Kotsonis: 6:30pm
Show: 7:00pm Admission: $20

THE PREMIERE OF THE FULL-LENGTH FILM VERSION OF
Othello in the Seraglio: The Tragedy of Sümbül the Black Eunuch
a coffeehouse opera based on Shakespeare

with an introduction by Helen Greenwald, chair of Music History & Musicology, New England Conservatory

Presented by The Mahindra Humanities Center at Harvard University

Location, Date/Time, Price: 
March 13, Farkas Hall (The New College Theatre), 10-12 Holyoke St. Cambridge, MA, 7:00pm
Free and open to the public; seating is limited.

AND OTHER SCREENINGS OF Othello in the Seraglio

Locations, Dates/Times, Prices: 
-March 26, New England Conservatory, Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre at 4pm.
-March 27, Princeton University, Garden Theater at 6pm.
-April 5, Tufts University, Varis Lecture Hall, Granoff Music Center at 12pm. 

All of the above screenings are made possible by support from

JEWS AND SUFIS: A Shared Musical Tradition
with Edwin Seroussi

Presented by The Katz Center at University of Pennsylvania

Since at least the 16th century, the Turkish maftirim repertoire–Hebrew devotional poetry set to Turkish makam music for use in the synagogue–demonstrates the deep relationships Ottoman Jews established with members of Muslim mystical brotherhoods. Leading scholar, Prof. Edwin Seroussi in a panel of three will speak on cultural, historical, religious and musical aspects of the topic, followed by dialogue with the audience.

The program will conclude with a lively recital featuring an ensemble of Jewish, Muslim and Christian vocalists and instrumentalists demonstrating examples of relevant musical repertoire.

Location, Date/Time, Price: 
March 17, Old Pine Street Church, 412 Pine St. Philadelphia, PA, 2:00pm
Open to the public.

Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol & Whatsnext? featuring Dave Liebman

Presented by WBUR

Do not miss the premiere of an extended intercultural composition by Grammy nominee Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol for Jazz Orchestra featuring NEA Jazz Master/Saxophonist Dave Liebman!

program       photos

As a Turkish-American composer Sanlıkol has been saddened and personally affected by the negative attitude toward immigrants, Muslims and minority communities in the US lately. As a result, he decided to compose his new piece, entitled “THE RISE UP”, built on three episodes from Middle Eastern history which chronicle dark and traumatic events followed by human inspiration and/or transcendental creation. The first narrative centers around the great Sufi poet Rumi, composer of the most beautiful mystical poetry ever written after the murder of Shams, his beloved teacher. The second story comes from the traditions of Sephardic Jews, expelled from Spain but welcomed by the Ottomans, leading to a cultural flowering treasured to this day. The third narrative tells the story of Mimar Sinan, forcibly taken by the Ottomans as a young Orthodox Christian boy, who came to embrace his new Muslim identity and rose to great heights as the master architect of some of the greatest mosques in the world.

The orchestra will be conducted by Ken Schaphorst, chair of the Jazz department at New England Conservatory, and the unique Middle Eastern musical flavors will be supported by additional ethnic flutes, reeds, percussion and a group of Greek Orthodox cantors. A conversation with Sanlıkol and Liebman moderated by On Point producer Stefano Kotsonis will start the premiere event.

Location, Date/Time, Price: 
Open rehearsal
Thursday, May 16, NEC’s Brown Hall, 5-9 pm 

Premiere
Friday, May 17, CitySpace, 890 Comm. Ave. Boston, 7:30pm
Admission: $10.

This project is made possible in part by a Live Arts Boston grant from the Boston Foundation.