Name: The Raven
Start: 2024-11-10T17:30:00-08:00
Location: Native Arts & Cultures Foundation

Jesse Preis debuts The Raven, a chamber opera composed for three voices and piano from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of the same name. In this opera, the narrator (split into two characters to capture the perspective of the Young and the Old at two different stages in life) deals with the loss of a loved one. These complicated, painful, and even terrifying emotions become personified through the character of the Raven. This work is composed with no specific voice types tied to the characters - anyone able to sing the part can and should sing them. This is a groundbreaking composing technique that unties the binds of gendered characters and allows vocalists to portray a character of any gender that is authentic to them and suits their voice. Preis seeks to expand our understanding of vocal writing to go beyond the gendered conventions of soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and bass-baritone, and posits a world where characters are simply written and performed by a wide variety of voices. The artistic team for The Raven includes Jesse Preis, composer, and Madeline Ross, Claire Robertson-Preis, and Abigail Krawson, performers.
There will be a discussion between the audience and the creating team after the workshop performance to offer feedback on the progress of the piece and offer their ideas for future iterations. Tickets for The Raven are on a sliding scale, $20, $40, or $80 with a special free ticket to members of the trans and non-binary community to attend.

This workshop is part of the Artists in Conversation Festival, an annual program that explores the future of opera and the performing arts through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The other opera being highlighted is Little Ones, music by Danielle Jagelski (Oneida/Ojibwe) and libretto by Rhiana Yazzie (Navajo), that portrays the life of "Marigold," a 17 year old student at a Native American Residential School, following her through her senior year of high school. Renegade Opera is excited to offer the Portland community an opportunity to see the process of making an opera and invite them into the conversation to give valuable feedback to the creating teams during this beginning stage of development.