New Camerata Opera (NCO) presents The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace by Kamala Sankaram and Rob Handel as their spring 2022 mainstage production on April 7, 8, and 9 at 8pm, and April 10 at 3pm at Dixon Place Theater on the Lower East Side. Tickets are $35 for Mezzanine, $40 for General Admission, and $60 for VIP, and can be purchased at https://www.newcamerataopera.org/the-infinite-energy-of-ada-lovelace.
The one-act opera will be directed by Jennifer Williams, with music direction by Nell Flanders. Immersive cabaret elements and thematically-related repertoire will be performed before and after the opera, intertwining multiple pieces into one engaging evening. The performance will run approximately 90 minutes without intermission.
This opera, composed in 2019, follows Ada Lovelace's work with Charles Babbage on the Difference Engine. Her detailed notes on revolutionary concepts about the potential for the engine to carry out an algorithm led to her recognition as the world's first computer programmer. Her story is the struggle between her work as a mathematician and upholding her reputation as a wife, mother, and public figure.
The cabaret will incorporate aerialist work from performer Heather Meyer and Circus Director Nicki Miller. Utilizing the full spectrum of tools for storytelling, the evening will provide a transportive trip into the world of Ada Lovelace.
Originally slated to produce Libby Larsen's Barnum's Bird this spring, NCO chose to pivot to a new piece that was safer to rehearse and perform amid the challenges of the Omicron variant. Honoring the contracts of those originally cast, the company forged ahead with a work that does not require as much physical and musical ensemble work, and can therefore be done while following stricter safety protocols.
The cast includes: Brittany Fowler and Emily Hughes as Ada Lovelace, Virdell Williams and Stan Lacy as Charles Babbage, Victor Khodadad and Erik Bagger as William Lovelace, Kristin Renee Young and Barbara Porto as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Heather Meyer and Emily Solo as the The Nanny, Alonso Jordán López and Ryan Allais as The Butler, Jeff Goble and Gabriel Hernandez. Further credits include: DeAnna Howard (Lighting Designer), Lianne Arnold (Video Projection and Set Designer), Nicki Miller (Circus Director), Asa Benally (Costume Designer), Holly Thomas (Stage Manager), and Elliot Roman (Assistant Conductor).
About Dixon Place
Dixon Place, an incubator for performing and literary artists since 1986, is a non-profit organization committed to supporting the creative process by presenting original works of dance, theater, music, puppetry, literature, performance and visual art at all stages of development. Presenting over 700 artists each year, this local haven inspires and encourages diverse artists of all stripes and callings to take risks and push personal and professional limits. Dixon Place's foremost priorities are to serve as a safety net for artists, and to provide vivid experiences for audiences.
Dixon Place is the only non-profit theatre of its size to own and operate a full service cocktail lounge where all profits are returned to the organization to support their artists and mission. The full service cocktail lounge is open to the public from 6PM to closing with all profits supporting the Dixon Place artists and mission.
About New Camerata Opera
New Camerata Opera is a New York City-based, cooperative company in its sixth season. Its mission is to engage, excite, and educate through immersive performances that break down barriers and inspire fans of the future. NCO offers mainstage operas, children's operas through Camerata Piccola, and produces short operatic films with CamerataWorks. For more information, visit newcamerataopera.org.
