Meet the esteemed moderators of our post-show talks for AS ONE

 

American Opera Projects will host Artist Talks after each performance of As One, its new opera by Laura Kaminsky, Mark Campbell, and Kimberly Reed, premiering at BAM September 4th, 6th, and 7th. These talks will be free for audience members.

Jean Malpas (far left) leads a discussion with As One's creators (l. to r.) Mark Campbell, Laura Kaminsky, and Kimberly Reed after a June workshop at BAM Fisher.

Andrew Solomon - Thursday, September 4

The first talk on September 4th will be moderated by Andrew Solomon, a writer and lecturer on psychology, politics, and the arts; winner of the National Book Award; and an activist in LGBT rights, mental health, and the arts. Solomon’s award-winning book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, tells the stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children, but also find profound meaning in doing so.  Solomon’s chapter on transgender individuals profiles As One co-librettist and filmmaker Kimberly Reed (see video below). He also writes about families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, multiple severe disabilities, with children who are prodigies, who are conceived in rape, who become criminals. While each of these characteristics is potentially isolating, the experience of difference within families is universal, as are the struggles toward compassion and the triumphs of love Solomon documents in every chapter.  Woven into these courageous and affirming stories is Solomon’s journey to accepting his own identity, which culminated in his midlife decision, influenced by this research, to become a parent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxGhLif9w4s

 As One Co-librettist and Filmmaker Kimberly Reed on Far From the Tree

Naomi Lewin - Saturday, September 6

The second talk on September 6th will be moderated by Naomi Lewin, the weekday afternoon host on WQXR, the host of WQXR’s weekly opera program Operavore, the host of weekly podcast Conducting Business, and a great supporter of contemporary opera. Before arriving at WQXR, Lewin was the midday host at WGUC, Cincinnati’s classical public radio station. In Cincinnati, she began writing and hosting the award-winning, weekly program Classics for Kids, which now airs on radio stations across the country. Lewin has produced feature stories and full-length music programs for national broadcast, as well as intermission features for Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. She has also served as an essayist for NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLByAIp7qN8

A Discussion with Marilyn Horne About Melding Opera and Pop Culture

Jean Malpas - Sunday, September 7

The third talk on September 7th will be moderated by Jean Malpas, LMHC, LMFT a psychotherapist in private practice and a faculty member of the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City. For the past 10 years, Jean has provided psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups. His expertise includes family and relationship issues, substance abuse and recovery, sexual and gender identity, depression, anxiety, chronic illness and cultural adjustment. In addition to teaching family therapy at the Ackerman Institute, Jean has presented nationally and internationally on addiction counseling, couples therapy, gender and sexuality. His innovations have been published in professional books and journals as well as magazines and blogs in the U.S., Europe and Canada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JS8L278nmw

Gender Variance with Jean Malpas

Tickets for As One can be purchased at BAM.org/AsOne

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