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Luna Pearl Woolf
The Pillar - Trailer
Washington Chorus
Opera.ca Summit for Gender Equity in Opera, Sept 22 2018
Aria from Luna Pearl Woolf's "The Pillar"
Kristin Hoff, Mezzo
Jennifer Szeto, Piano
THE PILLAR tells the tale of a woman who has dedicated her whole life to her husband, a pillar of the community. When he falls into disgrace, she must finally confront choices—and consequences—of truly operatic proportions. That woman is … Ruth Madoff.
Based on Diana Henriques’ bestselling The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust, THE PILLAR digs beneath the surface of this contemporary scandal to uncover a timeless meditation on loyalty, corruption, and the nature of love.
This workshop presentation was made possible by an Opera America Discovery Grant, and we are now seeking a producing partner to continue development of the project.
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Reviews:
“According to the splendid performance by all the singers and instrumentalists Woolf’s THE PILLAR is off to a great start… what wrenching, realistic theater it was — the rise and fall of the Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and the resulting human tragedies.”
– The Washington Post“THE PILLAR focuses on Ruth Madoff, a woman who has dedicated her life to her husband, a pillar of the community. When he falls into disgrace, she must confront choices, and consequences, of operatic proportions. The Pillar uses this contemporary scandal to deliver a timeless meditation on loyalty, corruption and the nature of love.”
– Georgetown Patch
“Ruth Madoff’s struggle is Shakespearean … as if Gertrude from Hamlet has been fleshed out for us.”
– Loretta Toscano, Actor/Educator
“The drama is so moving … all we wanted was more than thirty-something minutes!”
– Opera-L
“Musically inventive and powerful … such economy in the language … It’s brilliant!”
– Elizabeth W. Scott , Dunch Arts
“It made me look at the whole event in a different way … it becomes deep, tragic and human … a Biblical story.”
– Dillon McCartney, NYIOP International