Composer Amy Beth Kirsten in I Care If You Listen
Renowned composer, director, and Curtis composition faculty member Amy Beth Kirsten was recently interviewed by I Care If You Listen in advance of Curtis New Music Ensemble’s May 9 and 10 performances of her theatrical piece Savior, paired with the world premiere of Infernal Angel, at Gould Rehearsal Hall. The transdisciplinary artist discusses her dedication to immersive research and storytelling across a variety of mediums, and talks about past notable productions, including QUIXOTE, an imagining of Miguel de Cervantes’ idealistic character on his deathbed, and the ghostly Jacob in Chains, an evening-length collaboration with Alarm Will Sound that blended myth and spirituality.
Watch Amy Beth Kirsten discuss her artistic process and works.
Ms. Kirsten’s compositional approach involves writing her own libretti, reflecting her early passion for both music and words. Her journey began with singing in school choirs in the suburbs of Kansas City and Chicago, and improvising on a beat-up piano her parents acquired during her childhood. This early fascination with music and libretto writing led her to study at College of DuPage, Benedictine University (B.M.), Roosevelt University (M.M.), and the Peabody Institute (D.M.A.). It was in college that she enrolled in rigorous vocal jazz program, where she learned to treat her voice as an instrument. A pivotal moment in her career came when she witnessed the International Contemporary Ensemble perform Peter Maxwell Davies’ monodrama, “Eight Songs for a Mad King,” which inspired her to pursue a career as a composer.
Her collaboration with the Grammy-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird in 2010 marked a significant shift in her focus towards the physicality and visual aspects of performance. This partnership led to the creation of Colombine’s Paradise Theater, a modern take on Commedia dell’Arte. In her work, Ms. Kirsten advocates for an “anti-grand opera” approach, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration from the outset of a project, and it’s this particular method that ensures all the elements—text, music, and design, evolve together organically.
The article also discusses her upcoming project at Curtis, Infernal Angel, a world premiere collaboration with Curtis Opera Theatre and baritone Ty Boque. Commissioned as part of Curtis’ centennial celebration, the theatrical work delves into the life of medieval knight and serial killer Gilles de Rais and his relationship with Joan of Arc. This piece and her haunting 2018 work Savior are part of a thrilling diptych both inspired by her obsession with Joan of Arc, who became the national symbol of France and a saint, after the French Revolution.
Read the full interview HERE and visit Amy Beth Kirsten’s official website.
Photo Credits: 1.) Portrait of Ms. Kirsten; Gennadi Novash. 2.) Amy Beth Kirsten; Gennadi Novash, courtesy of Peak Performances at Montclair State University, 2017. 3.) Photo courtesy of the artist.
