Spoleto Festival USA’s new opera Ruinous Gods opened to rave reviews! Opening on Friday, May 24 to an enthusiastic audience at the Sottile Theater, The Post and Courier called Ruinous Gods “a mesmerizing work perfect for the Spoleto Festival stage.”
“The opening scene was a stunner. The Spoleto Festival USA Chorus, assembled and rehearsed by Joe Miller, sang an evocative Aramaic chant impeccably, setting the mood and rooting us in this fantastical rocky landscape located somewhere between reality and dream. They functioned as a Greek Chorus, helping to tell the story and filling in as various characters. They were a highlight of the production.” (An excerpt from The Post and Courier’s article “Spoleto Festival’s ‘Ruinous Gods’ succeeds by mythologizing the trauma of forced migration”)
Credit: William Struhs
“Folding in the timely and the timeless, Chaker’s recitative-rich score swirls around the singing, a blending of styles from ancient chants to a high-energy crowd-pleaser of a number, It is an evolution of Chaker’s previous compositions that were informed by Arabic maqam, Western classical music traditions, Middle Eastern influences, jazz and improvisation. This entrancing new work unfurls in a finely layered sonic tapestry whose varied influences are seamlessly woven together, all the while intensifying with the twists and turns of the tale.” (An excerpt from Maura Hogan’s review for The Charleston City Paper “Review: In “Ruinous Gods,” exquisite voices are aloft on a gloriously innovative score”)
There are still opportunities to see this groundbreaking Spoleto production on Monday, May 27; Wednesday, May 29; and Saturday, June 1. Get tickets here.