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| Photo: Mat Hayward |
Mark Morris continues to redefine the relationship between music and movement in his homage to a monument of 20th-century art: The Beatles’ 1967 revolution in sound, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Commissioned by the City of Liverpool in celebration of the album’s 50th anniversary, Pepperland teases out the album’s colorfully avant-garde heart and omnivorous influences—from Bach to Stockhausen, music hall to raga—straining it through a theremin- and harpsichord-laced score by jazz composer Ethan Iverson, performed live by a remarkable seven-piece music ensemble. Morris’ company transforms the stage into a candy-colored kaleidoscope of modish 60s dance crazes and balletic intricacy that hovers, like its inspiration, between pop pleasure and exhilarating abstraction.
After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #pepperland.
Program Notes
Read
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Gets a 50th Birthday Festival in Liverpool (The New York Times)
Pepperland premiered as the opening to a celebration that featured 13 cross-disciplinary commissions inspired by the iconic album.
Blog
The Vibrant Colors and Surprisingly Conservative Cuts of the Costumes in Pepperland (BAM Blog)
Elizabeth Kurtzman, the show’s costume designer, looked to an earlier era for its fashion.
Blog
How a Jazz Composer Reinvented a Revolution in Sound (BAM Blog)
Composer Ethan Iverson discusses Pepperland’s instrumentation, the singer’s presentation, and how he incorporated different classical forms into the score.
Blog
Mark Morris: Mastery at BAM (BAM Blog)
A look back at some of the choreographer’s previous mastery at BAM.
Article
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’: The Story Behind Every Song (Rolling Stone)
A track-by-track guide to every tune on the landmark 1967 album, with links to articles corresponding to each song.
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