Guerilla Opera, an multidisciplinary artist-run opera cooperative based in Boston, MA, will be on the University of Maine campus March 4–5, preparing for the premiere of UMaine School of Performing Arts professor Beth Wiemann’s new work “I Give You My Home” in June. This residency is a collaboration between Guerilla Opera, UMaine’s School of Performing Arts and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies units, and the Nichols House Museum of Boston. The opera is based on the life of the architect, suffragette, and peace activist Rose Standish Nichols (1872–1960).
This residency includes a presentation by Artistic Director Aliana De La Guardia on contemporary opera (March 4, 1 p.m.), a vocal masterclass open to the public by Ms. De La Guardia (March 4, 4 p.m.) and a public performance of Wiemann’s piece (March 5, 7:30 p.m.), with most residency events taking place in Minsky Recital Hall. These public events will follow current UMaine COVID protocols, and are presented free of charge.
In a collaboration with UMaine’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality program, a lecture by guest scholar Mona Siegel (California State University, Sacramento) on the Women’s Peace Movement will take place after the residency, on April 11. This talk will explore that WWI era movement that was a passion of Rose Standish Nichols.
The Guerilla Opera events and Mona Siegel’s visit are being funded by UMaine’s Cultural Affairs/Distinguished Lecture Series Fund, the Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center, the UMaine Arts Initiative, and the Hamm Campus Fund.
For more information, visit https://umaine.edu/spa/event/guerilla-opera-residency/ or contact brian.jansen@maine.edu.
