Eldar, Sivan (b. 1985) | The Nine Jewelled Deer | Libretto by Ganavya Doraiswamy and Lauren Groff, based on the tale of The Nine Jewelled Deer |
Peter Sellars | Director |
Camille Assaf | Costume Designer |
James F Ingalls | Lighting Designer |
Julie Mehretu | Visual artist |
Ganavya Doraiswamy | Vocals |
Aruna Sairam | Vocals |
Nurit Stark | Violin, Viola |
Sonia Wieder-Atherton | Cello |
Dana Barak | Clarinet |
Hayden Chisholm | Saxophone |
Rajna Swaminathan | Percussion |
Augustin Muller | Electronics |
A thousand-year-old cave painting in China depicting a drowning man saved by a marvellous deer whose existence he must not reveal; a cramped kitchen in modern-day India where an old woman takes in victims of life’s misfortunes and heals them through song; the garden of a former prostitute, where a monk teaches the secrets of “Enlightenment” – that supreme state of knowledge and compassion: these are the elements that make up the plot of The Nine Jewelled Deer, a world premiere opera born of the encounter between composer Sivan Eldar and singer-improviser Ganavya Doraiswamy, heirs to musical traditions that may seem far apart – classical and electronic music for the one, traditional South Indian music and jazz for the other – but brought together by a common desire to be open to one another, to care and to listen. Three exceptional artists are taking part in the adventure, in partnership with the LUMA Foundation: director Peter Sellars, visual artist Julie Mehretu and writer Lauren Groff.
Tickets: Opening of reservations starting on 30 January 2025