Fairy tales are turned inside out in Divergence Vocal Theater’s new operatic song cycle, ravens & radishes. Poems by soprano Misha Penton, Divergence Vocal Theater’s artistic director, were set to music by guitarist George Heathco for the project. “Each poem is a female character’s introspective monologue, Penton tells us. “For instance, I reinterpreted the wicked male magician in Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen as a sorceress; she shatters her magic mirror and its fragments swirl out into the world, lodging in our hearts as tiny shards of evil we all carry (whether we acknowledge it or not).”
Penton, who worked with Heathco on a project in 2011, admits she has a favorite among the songs. “My favorite movement of the song cycle is sheep’s clothing, a new version of Little Red Riding Hood. I sing it from the perspective of [the] She-Wolf, who methodically hunts children [playing] in the forest.”
Cellist Daniel Saenz and dancer Meg Brooker join Penton and Heathco onstage for a combination concert/digital EP release/music video premiere.
6:30 p.m. 4411 Montrose. For information, call 832-590-0467 or visit divergencevocaltheater.org. $15 to $30.
Sun., April 27, 6:30 p.m., 2014
This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2014.