Journal Saturday, May 18, 2013

David Byrne's "Here Lies Love" to Be Performed at MASS MoCA in June; Premieres at Public Theater in April 2013

As noted last month in the Nonesuch Journal, the 2012-2013 season of the Public Theater in New York City will feature the world premiere of the new musical of Here Lies Love, which explores the life of former Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos, with concept and lyrics by David Byrne, music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, and directed by Alex Timbers of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson fame. The performances will take place April 2–May 5, 2013, at the Public's LuEsther Theater. This summer, however, theatergoers can catch an early look at the production next month, when it is presented at MASS MoCA's Hunter Center in North Adams, Massachusetts, in a co-production between MASS MoCA, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Public Theater, June 21–24. Tickets are available now at massmoca.org.

In Here Lies Love, David Byrne and iconic deejay-composer Fatboy Slim tell the story of Imelda Marcos's meteoric rise and subsequent descent into infamy, all within a throbbing dance club environment. This immersive spectacle combines disco beats, choreography by Annie-B Parson, and a 360-degree scenic and video environment, all the while moving beyond Marcos's oft-discussed obsession with shoes to explore questions of power and responsibility. This marks the first theatrical production of Here Lies Love, which was first presented as a song cycle at the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts in 2006 and in concert at Carnegie Hall in 2007.

Nonesuch Records released the double-disc song cycle recording of Here Lies Love in 2010, featuring a who’s who of indie rockers, dancefloor divas, and established stars, including Tori Amos, Steve Earle, Cyndi Lauper, Natalie Merchant, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, Santigold, and St. Vincent. The Wall Street Journal calls it "a fountain of funk and dance music that's entirely accessible." Both the standard and the deluxe editions of the album are available in the Nonesuch Store.

• Journal Topics:
• Artist News
• On Tour

• Go to David Byrne's page
• Go to Fatboy Slim's page

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