Press Release.opera Receives Threat.nova Arts Project

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For Immediate Release  May 11, 2009    WINNING WORK AT OPERA FESTIVAL SPARKING CONTROVERSY  ‘Edalat Square,’ opening May 21, takes look at Islam, homosexuality 

P.O. Box 131272  Houston, TX   77219  (832) 545‐8778  NovaArtsProject.com 

HOUSTON – The organizers of the second annual Opera Vista Festival suspected one of their  featured operas would draw controversy. But when an anonymous letter threatening the founders of  the Nova Arts Project arrived at founding director Amy Hopper’s doorstep, she realized the show  had potential to ignite a firestorm.       

Clinton Hopper 

“We received this letter that was all about ignorance and hate, and that’s the whole point of this  opera – to confront ignorance and hate. It makes it even more important to tell the story,” Hopper  said. 

Artistic Director  [email protected]   

Seán Patrick Judge  Managing Director  [email protected]   

Antonio Aguries III  Marketing Director  [email protected]   

Amy Hopper  Founding Director  [email protected]  

       

 

The opera is “Edalat Square,” one of two works that won Opera Vista’s inaugural festival  competition in 2007 (think “American Idol” for opera composers). Written by Atlanta‐based  composer R. Timothy Brady, the opera recounts the true story of Mahmoud Asgari, 17, and Ayaz  Marhoni, 16, who were hanged in Iran in 2005 for the crime of lavaat, or sex between two men. Brady  was inspired by the story to craft a poetic work that offers an unblinking look at bigotry, but is also  prayerful and mystical, said Viswa Subbaraman, artistic director and co‐founder of Opera Vista.  “It’s an amazing appeal to the soul,” Subbaraman said. “It’s some of the most poignant music and  lyrics in opera. I don’t know how you could watch it and not be moved.”  Because of its exploration of two hot‐button topics – radical Islam and homosexuality – performances  of “Edalat Square” have faced opposition before. At its world premiere at Emory University, the  university’s president contemplated canceling the show because of complaints. Some critics have said  the show is persecuting the Islamic faith, which festival organizers say it doesn’t. Others object to the  homosexual content.  On May 5, Amy Hopper found out the show was already pushing buttons here in Houston. She  opened her mailbox to discover a hand‐stenciled, anonymous letter that said: “You are pigs to mix  Islam with gays. You must stop! We will not let you do it.”  The festival’s organizers actually are glad the opera could spark debate or criticism. That’s part of the  purpose of the performing arts – to provoke discussion and ignite the emotions, they said.  “Great art should open a discussion, and I think that’s what this opera does,” Subbaraman said. “Art  has never existed in a vacuum – it often has a political bent, and that’s as it should be.” 

Nova Arts Project is a  Houston‐based, 501(c)3 not‐ for‐profit performing arts  organization dedicated to  recreating classics and  inspiring new works in a  fearlessly theatrical way. 

“Edalat Square” will open the Opera Vista Festival at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 21, in the Wortham  Theater Complex at the University of Houston. For more information and a schedule of operas being  performed at the festival, visit www.operavista.org or www.novaartsproject.com/shows/ovf.   Nova Arts Project is a Houston‐based, not‐for‐profit performing arts organization that seeks to  recreate classics and inspire new works in a fearlessly theatrical way.  Opera Vista is dedicated to continuing the growth of the operatic tradition by producing fully‐staged  versions of new and contemporary operas, giving living composers a performance venue, and  establishing and developing an audience for new opera. Opera Vista is a 501(c)3 nonprofit  organization.  

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