Nanatasis - Opéra en Trois Légendes
Alejandra ODGERS & Nicole O'BOMSAWIN
Nanatasis
Christopher Gaudreault - conductor
Odéi Bilodeau, soprano - Niben
Élise Boucher-DeGonzague, mezzo-soprano - Grand-mère Marmotte
Mishael Eusebio, ténor - Kl8sk8mba
William Kraushaar, basse - Pebon
Josée Poirier - flute
Sixtrum, percussion ensemble
Joâo Catalâo
Huizi Wang
Philip Hornsey
Kristie Ibrahim
Andrew Gaboury - puppetry
Troy Hourie - Visual designer & stage director
Ben Rosenberg - Video designer
Program Notes
Since meeting in 2007, our growing friendship has resulted in the creation of several works in which Abenaki songs have been set to music (Naahua, Toni alossaan and Menahanis). In 2022, we we decided to compose our first opera, "Opéra en trois légendes" for children aged 5 to 99. Based on Abenaki cosmogony, the opera is composed of three legends. The first is that of creation, where everything is created ... thanks to music! The second is that of Moz, a giant moose who frightens the Abenaki, and the third - which you'll hear today - is Pebon and Niben (winter and summer), who we meet accompanied by Kl8sk8ba (the mythical Abenaki hero). With this opera, we hope to help promote Abenaki culture, and the beauty and wisdom of its legends, with a work that blends tradition and novelty, aboriginal music and contemporary music. In so doing, our wish is to create a work for children that will bring them closer to both creative music and Wabanaki culture - in short, to Quebec's cultural richness and openness to others.
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Alejandra Odgers & Nicole O'Bomsawin
Synopsis
One day, at the request of Grand-Mère Marmotte, Kl8sk8mba goes to the North to see why it's always so cold. He meets Pebon (winter) who welcomes him to his ice fire, lulling Kl8sk8mba to sleep with his storytelling. When he wakes up six months later, a bird tells Kl8sk8mba about Niben (summer) who lives far to the south. He travels to find her and Niben agrees to talk to Pebon. They travel together to the north and Niben convinces Pebon to take time to rest after all of his hard work. She will stay until the leaves fall, when he can take over again. Together they do the dance of the seasons.
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Alejandra Odgers & Nicole O'Bomsawin