{"id":3708,"date":"2022-11-17T18:26:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T18:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-dot-meredith-monk-website.appspot.com\/?post_type=work&p=3708"},"modified":"2022-11-21T21:21:59","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T21:21:59","slug":"on-behalf-of-nature-2","status":"publish","type":"work","link":"https:\/\/wordpress-dot-meredith-monk-website.appspot.com\/current-repertory\/on-behalf-of-nature-2\/","title":{"rendered":"On Behalf of Nature (2013)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by David Gallard<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Behalf of Nature <\/strong>(2013)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A poetic meditation on our intimate connection to nature and the fragility of the environment, On Behalf of Nature<\/em> evokes the Buddhist notion of different realm categories, uniting heaven and earth by way of human beings. Drawing further inspiration from writers who have sounded the alarm on the state of our global ecology, Meredith Monk and her acclaimed Vocal Ensemble create a liminal space where human, natural and spiritual elements are woven into a delicate whole, illuminating the interconnection and interdependency of us all.

“As I began working on On Behalf of Nature, I asked myself the question ‘how would one create an ecological art work that does not make more waste in the world?’ Live performances leave no traces except, hopefully, in the mind of audience members. This ephemeral aspect is both poignant and exhilarating. Sometimes, though, the desire for novelty and surface excitement leads to buying a lot of new things, spending a great deal of money for an experience that only lasts a few hours. I wondered how one could make an alternative to that.” \u2013Meredith Monk\u00a0

Conceived, directed, and composed by Meredith Monk<\/strong>
Performers: Sidney Chen, Ellen Fisher, Katie Geissinger, Bohdan Hilash, John Hollenbeck, Meredith Monk, Bruce Rameker, Allison Sniffin<\/strong>
Music Meredith Monk<\/strong>
Costume and Scenic Design\u00a0Yoshio Yabara<\/strong>
Lighting Design\u00a0Elaine Buckholtz<\/strong>
Sound Design\u00a0Jody Elff<\/strong>
Music Direction \/ Score Preparation Allison Sniffin<\/strong>
Video editing Meredith Monk<\/strong> and Michael Grenadier<\/strong>
Developed in collaboration with Sidney Chen, Ellen Fisher, Katie Geissinger, Bohdan Hilash, John Hollenbeck, Meredith Monk, Bruce Rameker, Allison Sniffin<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


On Behalf of Nature<\/em> premiered at UCLA CAP, Los Angeles, CA, with subsequence performances at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD; Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland; Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana-Champaign, IL; BAM Harvey Theater, Brooklyn, NY; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA; Galvin Playhouse, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; Power Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201ca rapturous new work\u2026some of the finest music Monk has yet written.\u201d \u2013 Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times<\/em>, January 2013

\u201cIf nature were to rise up and speak in defense of itself, its voice might sound like a Meredith Monk theater piece.\u201d \u2013 Charles T. Downey, The Washington Post<\/em>, May 2013

\u201cexquisite\u2026magnificent music\u2026there\u2019s an integrity, a beauty and towering musical talent in Monk\u2019s work that demands respect and love.\u201d \u2013 Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman<\/em>, August 2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Behalf of Nature (excerpts), UCLA CAP (2013)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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