Carnival of the Animals

Carnival of the Animals, an evening-length work written and conceived by spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph in response to the events of January 6, 2021, navigates the reality of today’s political jungle through music, poetry, and dance, embodying our shifting societal values and our relationship to democracy. Anchored in Joseph’s powerful words, the work is choreographed and directed by Francesca Harper and performed by Wendy Whelan and Marc Bamuthi Joseph. The collaboration between these renowned artists crosses the boundaries of traditional genres and produces a unique and moving performance.

Carnival of the Animals is set to a vivid reimagining of Camille Saint-Saëns’ classic composition of the same name, reworked by composer and interdisciplinary artist Sugar Vendil more than one hundred years after its original publication. The contemporary score depicts a visceral landscape of animalistic inspirations, brought to life by an ensemble of two pianos, violin, cello, and audio recordings to represent a holistic experience of stark political unsteadiness.

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