Shrouded in significance, the mythological Sirens roost deep in the collective consciousness, clichéd specimens of femmes fatales. Join these singing ciphers as they investigate their own origins, seeking--through the twists and turns of ancient literature and contemporary philosophy--a way off the island for good. This moving and audacious work blends beautiful music, critical theory, Aristotelian tragedy and screwball comedy to present these beloved monsters as real beings, confronting an endless cycle of death and desire.

Scored for three female voices and piano, Here Be Sirens lives on the cutting edge between music and theatre, mixing ensemble virtuosity with ancient, modern, and invented vocal techniques and provoking us to consider what "new opera" can be. Music is the only companion of these three lost souls, and the score mixes soothing lyricism with icy chant and furious caterwauling as the performers croon their way towards a powerful destiny.

Here Be Sirens is the newest work by composer/soprano Kate Soper, hailed by the New Yorker as "a dazzling vocalist" and praised in the New York Times for her "exquisitely quirky" compositions. Ms. Soper received an award from the Guggenheim Foundation in 2012, which supports this production of her new work. Other recent awards and commissions include the American Composers Orchestra, The Koussevitsky Music Foundation, and Chamber Music Amerca. She is a Co-Director and vocalist for the new classical music ensemble Wet Ink. Here Be Sirens will be directed by Obie-winner Rick Burkhardt (Three Pianos), listed as an "Off Off Broadway Innovator to Watch" by Time Out New York (2011). The opera also features performers Gelsey Bell and Brett Umlauf.