ELEANOR: An Interview with Niocclo Seligmann
Librettist & Composer Niccolo Seligmann talks about the inspiration behind our new semi-staged chamber opera
Why did you want to tell the story of Eleanor Rykener?
In a time where trans rights are under direct attack, connecting with our queer and trans ancestors roots us in history and strengthens our precarious position. This show reminds us all that queer and trans people have always been part of the social tapestry, and that resistance to patriarchal and state violence is a core part of our experience, both in the past and today.
Can you describe the kinds of music we'll hear in this concert?
The music in “Eleanor” is highly influenced by music from Eleanor Rykener’s own lifetime in 1300s England. Most of the action is performed as accompanied monophony, with some 14th-century style polyphony and catchy “folk songs” expressing the characters emotions. Sometimes, droney, sometimes groovy, all in service of telling Eleanor’s extraordinary story.
Are there any final things you think our audience should know before seeing this show?
All we know about Eleanor Rykener’s life comes from the court case found in the Corporation of London Records Office in the 1920s (and found again in 1995). The specific crime and verdict are both absent in the primary source. Throughout the case, Eleanor is dehumanized and made into nothing more than a list of sexual escapades. This show aims to give Eleanor a voice and humanity, and to give us a queer, trans ancestor to honor and celebrate.
✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵
Join us April 24 & 25 at the intimate New Stage Performance Space on the Upper West Side.
Friday, April 24, 7:30pm
New Stage Performance Space
36 West 106th St, NYC 10025
Saturday, April 25, 7:30pm
New Stage Performance Space
36 West 106th St, NYC 10025
