Ipsa Dixit New Production
June 1, 8 & 9, 2024
📍 Art Theatre, Long Beach
Kate Soper’s seminal “philosophy-opera” (New Yorker) with original choreography by the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Ipsa Dixit Showtimes
-
Saturday
June 1
-
Saturday
June 8
-
Sunday
June 9
Ipsa Dixit Story
Prepare to embark on a captivating journey through the mind-bending world of Kate Soper's IPSA DIXIT. Premiered in New York in December 2016 and a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Music, this avant-garde gem is not your typical opera. Dubbed a "philosophy-opera" by The New Yorker, it's set to make its dazzling return in a brand-new production at the Art Theatre in Long Beach during the first two weekends of June.
IPSA DIXIT is an artistic revelation, a profound exploration of the intricate dance between ideas, expression, and language. Composed over six years, it's a bold fusion of sound and thought, delivered in six striking movements that weave seamlessly into a mesmerizing ninety-minute whole. Soper boldly asks, "How can music unveil the very essence of being a thinker, a language-wielder, with all the glorious contradictions and limitations language itself brings?" To answer, she employs her own words alongside excerpts from luminaries like Aristotle, Plato, and Freud, pushing the boundaries of artistic meaning.
“How can music unveil the very essence of being a thinker, a language-wielder, with all the glorious contradictions and limitations language itself brings?”
Come, step into the mesmerizing world of Kate Soper's IPSA DIXIT and watch her own captivating performance alongside the acclaimed Wet Ink Ensemble. Let her unique artistry and the Ensemble's musical mastery transport you into the heart of this avant-garde masterpiece.
In a visionary move, director James Darrah is crafting a multidisciplinary production that blurs the lines between opera and dance. Expect to be entranced by the talents of dancers from the iconic Martha Graham Dance Company, complemented by original choreography from the company's artistic director, Janet Eilber.
The stage? A transformed historic cinema in Long Beach, promising an operatic experience like no other. With Christopher Rountree as Music Director, this promises to be a sensational and boundary-pushing performance that continues Long Beach Opera's commitment to championing the innovative genius of Kate Soper, shaping the future of operatic artistry.
But that's not all. Get a behind-the-scenes look at James Darrah and Christopher Rountree's most recent collaboration with Kate Soper at LBO, THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE. This acclaimed production has been dubbed an “operatic triumph” (Los Angeles Times) and offers an exciting glimpse into their innovative work, adding depth to your exploration of Soper's genius.
Cast & Creative
-
![Kate Soper]()
Composer
-
![James Darrah]()
Director
-
![Christopher Rountree]()
Music Director
-
![Janet Eilber]()
Choreographer
Ipsa Dixit Venue
About the Venue
Once a silent movie theater adorned with an orchestra pit and a magnificent pipe organ, The Art Theatre stands today as the oldest single-screen gem in all of Long Beach. This iconic Art Deco masterpiece, a testament to the streamline moderne style, is renowned for curating the boldest and most thought-provoking independent, documentary, animated, alternative lifestyle, and foreign language films that the cinematic world has to offer.