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The Mount Hope World Singers have made a name for themselves for creating musical-theatrical performances that can genuinely be called unique. Their upcoming show, “Bright Threads,” weaves music, movement, and compelling themes into a unique collaboration.
MHWS artistic director Annika Bentley describes “Bright Threads” as an “a healing musical immersion.” She also finds its theme very timely.
“This seems a really appropriate moment to focus on healing in the world,” Bentley says. “Physical and emotional healing, community or intercultural healing, and offering encouragement are all needed now.”
As with MHWS’ two previous productions, Bentley conceived and arranged this program herself, working for more than a year on the approach and content.
Each of her MHWS concerts boasts an extensive bibliography including some fascinating books. For example, last year’s production “A Hundred Windows” was inspired by Ed Yong’s Pulitzer-winning book “An Immense World,” an examination of the myriad windows of experience in the animal kingdom.
In creating “Bright Threads,” Bentley similarly did a lot of reading and research. But rather than focusing on a single source, the performance evokes our common humanity and our capacity for connecting and healing through music. The program includes choral music from 10 countries and cultures—Australia to Haiti, Mongolia to Mexico—whose lyrics address physical, mental, and cultural illness and healing and evoke emotional states from utter calm to sadness to euphoria.
Bentley sifted through the sheet music of many songs and choral pieces before presenting her “Bright Threads” list to MHWS musical director Brian White. The list includes a couple of contemporary pieces that could be described as classical, as well as many arrangements and inspirations from different world cultures.
Bentley wrote a choral piece specifically for “Bright Threads,” as she has for each MHWS show. “Sun Breathes Birdsong” reflects her own wishes for healing with ME/CFS. This condition, also called chronic fatigue syndrome, impedes the work of mitochondria, the tiny structures within cells that work to create the body’s energy.
Bentley’s vocal incantation is a call to galvanize and increase the power of the mitochondria, which is probably a first for a choral work. (She recommends Nick Lane’s 2005 book on this subject, “Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life.”)
Additional bright threads will be provided by indigenous instruments. Local world musicians Ken Luk, Leah Ou, and Alyssa Rodriguez have each composed new music for this project in a different world music tradition: Swedish nyckelharpa (played by Rodriguez), Zimbabwean mbira (sometimes called a “thumb piano”—with Luk, who also plays guitar), and Chinese pipa (a lute-like instrument with a twangy sound—with Oh). Percussionist Don Sherman also joins the musicians.
Donetta Tchoroleev’s eclectic staging combines ritual movement, and the notion of healing as a circle, with interpretive dance, and some props as well. These include “large natural sticks” (in Bentley’s words) for each singer. In the course of the show, they’re used to create an archway, a pyre, and other things that reinforce the connection between the physical and spiritual realms.
“The members went out on their own to the woods, and came back with all these large, magical-looking sticks, like staffs,” says Bentley. “Some of them still have lichen and bark on them.”
Mount Hope World Singers’ forces for “Bright Threads” include 25 singers. They have varying degrees of musical skill but, as you may have guessed, they are also adventurous and very collaborative.
“A lot of our music is challenging, with unusual vocal effects and irregular metrics,” says Bentley. “All the choral numbers are sung in the original languages. The movement is often unusual, as well, and everyone is onstage for the whole show.
“When we begin a show,” she adds, “a lot of it is outside the comfort zone of our singers, and the whole thing can seem insurmountable—but it becomes something beautiful.”
Mount Hope World Singers present “Bright Threads” onWednesday, June 10, and Thursday, June 11, at7 p.m., Monroe Community College Theatre, Bldg. 4, Brighton Campus, 1000 East Henrietta Road (parking in Lot F). Both performances will be ASL interpreted and will be followed by a reception. Information and tickets here.
David Raymond is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer.
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