Armen Ra/theremin, Ethan Donaldson/tabla/percussion/sound, Heather Paauwe/violin, Karen Le Blanc/accordion/saw, Tommy Casanova/guitar
photos by Adrian Buckmaster
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Influences
We are much more than just our artistic influences. How we exist in the world around us colors everything we do in one way or another. I have just been made aware of this child's existence. Severn Suzuki is her name. She's only twelve years old, yet she has the capacity to humble a hall full of diplomats from all over the world with her views on the environment. I believe she should be heard (My thanks to Ximena and Shige for the heads up.):
Maria Callas, Nina Simone, Pablo Casals, Ella Fitzgerald, Diamanda Galas, Rene Marques, Richard Strauss, Klaus Nomi, Ewa Podles, Khalil Gibran, Rocio Jurado, Antonio Martorell, Renata Scotto, Pablo Neruda, Jeff Buckley, Lucecita Benitez, Bertold Brecht, Allen Ginsberg, Thom Yorke & Radiohead, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Leonard Cohen, Elena Obraztsova, Pink Floyd, G. Puccini, G. Mahler, Neil Gaiman, Olatunji, Stevie Nicks, Angeles Mastretta, Ellen Stewart
LINKS:
Check out a wonderful local New York City cultural blog, Oberon's Grove
Sounds Like
And no discussion of the piece would be complete without mentioning, with complete awe, the talents of the Storyteller, played by Benjamin Marcantoni. His voice is at once beautiful and frightening, adeptly modulating from a solid tenor to an uncanny and sublime soprano in the same phrase. - offoffline.com
[His] superb renditions of Handel and Saint-Saens brought the house down -Armenian Reporter International
Benjamin Marcantoni, who plays the storyteller, is especially noteworthy; his soaring countertenor gives the show a distinctive sound -theatermania.com
A lovely voice -NY Times
...vocally delivered by Benjamin Marcantoni as the Storyteller, created aural moments of compelling ritual tragedy... -Theatre Journal 58.1
Aesthetically, all the different elements [in Balletto Stiletto] stand strongly on their own: ...Benjamin Marcantoni's original, synth laden score is delicate and dreamy -newtheatercorps.blogspot.com [2005]
The only strong performances are those offered by Cary Gant as the Storyteller; Benjamin Marcantoni, who sings gloriously in the role of King Eurystheus... -Backstage [2007]
There's also a fair amount of singing - if I had to pick a genre in which to classify this work, I'd call it an opera - the best of which is performed by striking countertenor Benjamin Marcantoni, who plays King Eurystheus, commanding Herakles at his dozen labors in stirring song
-NYTheatre.com [2007]
As King Eurystheus (the mesmerizing countertenor Benjamin Marcantoni) commands Herakles to his 12 labors -NY Times [2006]
The aural soundscape is as rich and variegated as the visual. The storyteller of Antigone and Perseus is Benjamin Marcantoni, a superb counter-tenor who joined the Great Jones company with SEVEN. Stewart's choice of Marcantoni was brilliant; a sweet angel or bewitched devil, his sung narration has an otherworldly, transgendered quality. -TDR: The Drama Review 50:2La MaMa of us All
The Raven is an "epic opera" created by Ellen Stewart [...] particularly noteworthy are the contributions of countertenor Benjamin Marcantoni, as one of Millo's ministers, and the invaluable Sheila Dabney... - Martin Denton; NYTheatre.com [2008]
On stage, a couple of dozen La MaMa stalwarts and newcomers bring the piece to life. Standouts include George Drance in the title role (Asclepius), bringing real compassion and humanity to this character; Eugene the Poogene as the Black Crow and Hades; Benjamin Marcantoni as Chiron; Perry Yung as Apollo; and Michael Lynch as both the King of Arcadia and King Minos. Marcantoni sings narration in his inimitable countertenor along with a chorus. - Martin Denton; NYTheatre.com [2009]
self-portrait
Imagine the spawn of Maria Callas and Thom Yorke. At times called the Birgitt Nilsson of countertenors, the voice of a modern day shaman, of all genders and none.
Benjamin Marcantoni is a counter-tenor phenomenon, a virtuoso sopranista whose voice has been best described as beautiful and frightening. His trance-inducing vocals will one day be used by the alien lizard overlords to take over the world. We are advised to appease them through benjamin.mrc@gmail.com
Video encoding by Filippo De Capitani. Kuser Hall, La MaMa Umbria, Spoleto 2006.
Countertenor Benjamin Marcantoni has an extraordinary vocal and emotional range. Trained in music from an early age, he has a wide variety of stage experience, having performed internationally in many capacities. He has been active as a singer/songwriter, arranger and stage performer since his arrival in New York City in late 1999. He has also garnered credits as teacher, poet, writer, graphic designer, and lately as a composer.
Benjamin has most recently been engaged as musical director, translator and performer in Guatemala City's presentation of La MaMa's Cuatro Reinos (The Four Kingdoms). He was also seen and heard as a soloist in Ellen Stuart's adaptation of Carlo Gozzi's Il Corvo in the world renowned Biennale di Venezia, where the prestigious Maurizio Scaparro - curator of the Theater division of the Biennale 2006 - referred to his characterization as point perfect. He also had his debut as a composer for a full score for the modern dance piece Balletto Stiletto. He was also assistant musical director and soloist for the Italian leg of La MaMa Umbria's program 'Fragments of Seven,' which comprised music from the wildly successful series of seven Greek tragedies performed in America by the Great Jones Repertory Company. He has also premiered work newly written for his voice for the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Company in NYC and has been in the studio recording demos for Grammy winning composer David Mansfield (You can listen to one of them, Perduto, right here on this site!).
Photo by Sara Rubio
Benjamin has been seen and heard in a wide variety of venues, including the Chiostro S. Niccolo in Spoleto, Italy, La MaMa Theater in NYC, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Joe's Pub, Fez, Tapis Rouge, Theatre for the New City, Dixon Place, The Bitter End, and many others.
This year, he spent most of the Spring and Summer and into Autumn with Ellen Stewart and the Great Jones Rep. performing in four continents. He is in the process of writing new material for a new recording project, and is in talks to write an opera in Spanish based on an undisclosed Latin American theater piece.
Benjamin's voice is currently featured in the soundtrack of the 2006 Arturo Ripstein motion picture El Carnaval de Sodoma, singing music by the amazing David Mansfield. You can find one of the recorded tracks from the movie under the MP3 section of his website.
Video encoding by Filippo De Capitani. Kuser Hall, La MaMa Umbria, Spoleto 2006.
Thanks for the add! You seem like a cool person to have as a friend :-) Check out my profile and if you like what you see and want to learn how to do what I do you're more than welcome to join the club. Just hit up my website :-)
Please help us preserve the archaeological zone of Tuvixeddu in Sardinia, Italy. The most important Punic necropolis in the Mediterranean area is in danger of being covered by buildings and shopping malls.. We are calling for an immediate halt to the imminent construction around the hills of Tuvixeddu-Tuvumannu and an extension of the historic preservation laws to include the entire area. Add your name to those committed to saving Tuvixeddu. Thank you
Thanks so much for accepting my friendship and for your kind words - they mean so much.
Diane has told me so, so much about you, and said that you're just the best person, and, quite rightly, the most AMAZING counter tenor I'll ever hear.
Hope you're having a great week, and that you're doing well.
Best wishes,
Adam. ;o)
PS// If you're interested, I've got a new EP out on iTunes (details of which can be found on my page) - it'd be amazing to have your support. Thanks, again. ;o)
I'm happy to announce my new cd MOONSTRUCK, a collaboration with Jan Bang, Arve Henriksen, Tilmann Dehnhard, Ulrike Haage, Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Alejandro Govea Zappino, Jan Krause, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra a.o. You're welcome to enjoy, bb
