News & Reviews
- Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Rokia Traoré Gives NY Premiere of "Desdemona," Collaboration with Toni Morrison, Peter Sellars, at Lincoln Center
Desdemona, Rokia Traoré's theatrical collaboration with director Peter Sellars and novelist Toni Morrison, receives its NY premiere at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater tonight and tomorrow as part of the White Light Festival. The New York Times describes it as "an interactive narrative of words, music and song about Shakespeare’s doomed heroine, who speaks to the audience from the grave about the traumas of race, class, gender, war—and the transformative power of love." The Los Angeles Times calls it "astonishing ... a great, challenging, haunting and lasting work."
- Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Rokia Traoré to Give US Premiere of "Desdemona," Collaboration with Toni Morrison, Peter Sellars
Rokia Traoré joins forces with director Peter Sellars and Nobel Prize–winning novelist Toni Morrison to create a new theater piece titled Desdemona, which receive its US premiere at the Zellerbach Playhouse at the University of California in Berkeley this week. It receives its New York premiere next week at Lincoln Center as part of the White Light Festival. The Associated Press says: "Traoré's stage presence is magnetic."
About this Album
This version of the Tchamantché song "Zen" was recorded live in Paris, following the album's 2008 European release. Rokia is joined by Tchamantché bassist "Disco" Minck, along with a new supporting band on Mamah Diabate on senza and n'goni, Seb Martel on guitars, and Emiliano Turi on drums for the occasion.
Credits
MUSICIANS
Rokia Traoré, vocals
Mamah Diabate, senza, n'goni
Seb Martel, guitars
Christophe "Disco" Minck, bass
Emiliano Turi, drums
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Recorded and mixed in Paris by Marlon B., December 2008
Written and arranged by Rokia Traoré, lyrics by Marcel Kanche and Rokia Traoré
FORMAT AVAILABILITY
This single is available from Nonesuch in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom only.

