OnStage Korea 3rd Showcase:

From My Mother's Mother 

A modern opera & Tryst

featuring the Jeeyoung Kim Ensemble 

Wednesday, May 17 at 7:00pm

Studio Theatre (Mead Theatre)

1501 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Join us for OnStage Korea's 3rd Showcase of the 2017 season and the DC premiere of From My Mother's Mother (우리엄마의엄마로부터), a moving modern opera about the American immigrant experience and the passing down, or not, of cultural tradition. Plus, a special pre-show performance by the Jeeyoung Kim Ensemble of Tryst, an evocative combination of voice and chamber music commissioned by the Silk Road Ensemble and renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, for oboe, cello, and gayageum. 

Live vocals and orchestra

English and Korean subtitles 

Free with Registration

From Korean American composer Jeeyoung Kim with libretto by American writer Janine Joseph, From My Mother's Mother tells the story of a Korean folk tradition passed down through four generations of Korean-American women living in the United States, in which Korean women after giving birth enjoy seaweed soup prepared by their mother. Such traditions can be powerful, but also face challenges abroad as new generations develop their own identity. The opera integrates animated images, live music, and vivid sets to help convey a poignant message and a personal, intimate story of family.

From My Mother's Mother was originally commissioned and performed by the Houston Grand Opera in 2012. Korean-born composer Jeeyoung Kim was educated in Korea and the United States, and her music harmonizes the unique cultural aspects from Eastern and Western traditions. She studied music and philosophy in Korea at the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts and as a Bunting fellow at Harvard University, in addition to winning awards and recognition from numerous institutions and composing commissioned works for world-class ensembles worldwide. For more, visit the KCC website. 

OnStage Korea launched in March, 2017 and aims to introduce some of Korea's most innovative performing arts groups to the DC region. Additional performances for the 2017 season will be announced in the months to come.