Lanesboro Arts Presents “NADIA”

About

Who was Nadia Boulanger? Why did thousands of musicians flock to
France to study with “the most influential teacher since Socrates?” Find
out as Lanesboro Arts presents “NADIA,” on Saturday, May 14th at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro, MN. Masks are required for this event.

In a mesmerizing one woman tour-de-force marrying chamber music with
theater, actress/singer Adriana Zabala explores the memories and secrets
behind the legendary and charismatic music teacher, Nadia Boulanger.
Music performed by the pianist Timothy Lovelace and the Bakken Trio’s
violinist Stephanie Arado triggers Nadia’s memories of her life, the
deaths of her father and lover, the complex relationship she had with
her sister Lili (“the true genius of the family”) and the “crazy
pleasure” she feels teaching. Nadia Boulanger’s brilliance and magnetic
personality are showcased in master classes and in private lessons with
Copland, Francaix and Piazzola.

The imaginative Stephen Epp focuses on symbolism in his spare yet
playful direction of this original Bakken Trio production based on
Boulanger’s own quotes, and on scenes recounted by Boulanger students to
scriptwriter Mina Fisher. Nadia’s own music and music of her vastly
diverse students – Piazzola and Quincy Jones, Lili Boulanger and Copland
– permeates the play, even as music formed the backbone of Nadia
Boulanger’s life. NADIA is the compelling story of a woman tenaciously
overcoming sexism in early twentieth century Paris to make an
unparalleled impact on the musical world.

NADIA, a Bakken Trio production written and created by Mina Fisher,
premiered on the subscription series of The Bakken Trio at MacPhail
Center for Music in September 2017 directed by Steven Epp. It starred
Christina Baldwin as Nadia, and Bakken Trio musicians Stephanie Arado as
The Violinist, Pitnarry Shin as The Cellist, and guest Michael Kim as
The Pianist.

Mezzo – soprano Adriana Zabala (Nadia) enjoys a vibrant career
that spans performance and recording of new opera, song, and concert
works, as well as beloved operatic roles, traditional concert and
oratorio works, German Lieder, French Mélodie, and American and Spanish
song. As the title character in the American Premiere of Dove’s The
Adventures of Pinocchio at the Minnesota Opera, Adriana Zabala was
praised by The Wall Street Journal as showing “tremendous stamina and boy-like flair.” The New York Times hailed her as “a vivid, fearless presence,” and the L.A. Times as “extraordinary” for her portrayal of the Barbarian Girl in the American premiere of Philip Glass’ opera.

Currently a proud member of the voice faculty at Yale University, Zabala recently recorded Exhilaration: Dickinson and Yeats Songs
about which Opera News said: “Singing with uncommon clarity and natural
beauty, Zabala seems to be deep inside the poems.” She has since
performed the songs in Salzburg, in Carnegie Hall, and in Minneapolis.
Long interested in the Boulanger sisters, Zabala recently commissioned a
transcription of Lili Boulanger’s song cycle “Les Clairieres dans le
ciel”.

Photo included: Adriana Zabala as “Nadia”

Please note:

• Masks will be required for this event.
• The St. Mane Theatre box office will open at 6:30 p.m. the day of
  the concert. Tickets will also be sold in-person beginning at that time.
• Each ticket purchased with a bank card will be charged an additional
  processing fee of $0.99. Patrons can avoid this processing fee by
  paying via cash or check in the Lanesboro Arts Gallery, or before the
  show in the St. Mane Theatre lobby.
• If you are unable to purchase tickets online or need additional
  assistance, you may try calling 507-467-2446 to purchase a ticket over
  the phone during business hours. Tickets are also sold in-person during
  business hours at Lanesboro Arts Gallery.
• We will have a list of the ticket buyer names at the box office
  beginning at 6:30 p.m. If the buyer and their guests arrive together, no
  physical receipt or proof of purchase is needed in order to be admitted
  to the event–we will have a list!
• Alternatively, attendees can present a printed copy of the ticket
  PDF the ticket buyer was e-mailed or simply pull it up and present it on
  a smart device.
• Lanesboro Arts is committed to accessibility for all people.