On September 21, parents and caregivers carried or led several tiny audience members into a white tent installed in the Wallace Theater at the Lewis Arts complex to experience luzAzul, an immersive operatic experience crafted especially for them.
Samarie Alicea during a performance of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Audience members young and old are entertained by the performance of luzAzul in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Sam Ogilvie during a performance of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performer Samarie Alicea plays with one of the young audience members of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performer Samarie Alicea plays with one of the day's youngest audience members during a performance of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Samarie Alicea during a performance of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performers Samarie Alicea and Sam Ogilvie during luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Projections of bright colors paint the exterior of the tent that acts as the performance space for luzAzul. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Audience young and old are entertained by the performance of luzAzul n the Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performers Samarie Alicea and Sam Ogilvie during luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performers Samarie Alicea and Sam Ogilvie during luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performers Samarie Alicea and Sam Ogilvie during luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Performer Samarie Alicea plays with one of the young audience members of luzAzul at Princeton's Wallace Theater. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Created by 2022-23 Hodder Fellow Malena Dayen, luzAzul explores symmetry, the awareness of feelings and connection, the mirror that the interaction offers to both baby and adult, and the ability of building and experiencing together. According to Dayen, the opera seeks to awaken the small baby in everyone, adult and child alike. LuzAzul demonstrates the power of combining elements such as music, dance, scenic design and interactive technology.
During the Princeton presentation, performers Samarie Alicea and Sam Ogilvie shared a story of exploration and connection while welcoming the audience to play, interact and make sound. The sounds and movements of the babies and toddlers present in the tent became integrated into both the score and the storytelling: as the performers sang and moved, they invited the audience to imitate, improvise, and co-create.
Dayen is an Argentinian opera singer and director. She won the 1st Prize in Catapult Opera’s competition for innovation in opera for her video of Wallen’s The Silent Twins and directed Teatro Grattacielo’s Fedora and Mefistofele video productions that were selected to the international festivals of Munich, London and Bali. Dayen directed El Amor Brujo and L’Amico Fritz at LaMama in 2021. She also co-created The Presence of Odradek, a new opera performed live online in May 2020. As creative director of Bare Opera, Dayen directed Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires, Don Giovanni, Heroes of New York and The Late Walk that was inducted into The Library of Congress’ Performing Arts COVID-19 Response Collection. She recently directed and performed in Firesongs, a new piece by Thomas Cabaniss that premiered at Chelsea Factory in collaboration with National Sawdust in New York City. Dayen is currently working on two adaptations: a new opera based on “El Hombre Sirena,” a short story by 2022 National Book Award-winning writer Samanta Schweblin, and an adaptation of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena.
LuzAzul premiered on June 7-8 at Chelsea Factory in New York City and will return to that space in October 2023. Dayen directs the piece, which is composed by David Rosenmeyer, choreographed by Troy Ogilvie, and features tech design by Sangmin Chae.
