“The DustBowl,” a scene from Songs from the Uproar (Photo by Richard Hill Photography)
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
This weekend, the Verdigris Ensemble opens its newest work, Song from the Uproar, a modern chamber opera that tells the true story of writer Isabelle Eberhardt.
A Swiss explorer whose fascination with Africa led her to move there, Isabelle defied convention in many ways including her proclivity to take on the identity of a man.
“She was very much against the norm, but I think that’s because she also went through a lot of suffering,” said Kayla Nanto (she/her). “The show revolves around her turmoil, but, also, it presents this strong character and her strong emotions.”
Nanto plays Eberhardt in the production. Song from the Uproar opens Friday and runs through Sunday at Theatre Three.
In the beginning, Isabelle is left bereft by the death of her parents and the suicide of her brother. Told through some 18 choral pieces, Uproar follows Isabelle’s quest to Algeria, where she straddles identities between man and woman. She also falls in love.
The story is told through movement, music, projections, audience interaction and singing throughout the Theater Three space.
As Nanto has dived into the role — along with director Claire Choquette and Music Director Sam Brukhman — the notion of Eberhardt’s identity has added interesting points to the story. While Eberhardt dressed and lived at times as a man, it’s hard to ignore her choices of gender fluidity.
“I don’t know if she identified as male, but there is some type of thing she’s going through,” Nanto said. “She was interested in the pursuit of truth, which I think led her to live her life the way she wanted, and she was ok with going against societal norms.”
The setting of the opera is in the late 1800s-early 1900s. The vocabulary wasn’t available at that time to understand gender bending or nonbinaryism as a true thing. But this show offers one glimpse into someone who opted to express herself as both masculine and feminine.
“Dressing as a man back then probably allowed her to move more easily in society. But was that because she just wanted to or because of the benefits of that?” Nanto pondered. “We see both sides in this show as she takes on a male persona but then switches into a very traditional feminine role as her partner’s lover.”
Nanto, a mezzo soprano, is playing a “pants role” — a younger male character often played by a woman — as is often the case for her.
“We do often take on those masculine roles so there’s an interpretation that comes naturally.
But with Isabelle, I feel more of her intentions and emotions playing both sides of her,” Nanto added.
Choquette, the director, found some parallels with Isabelle to today’s dialogue, but also to herself.
“If Isabelle had the vocabulary, she might not identify as a woman or use pronouns,” she said. “It really is so brave how she lived — dressing and living as a Muslim man in Algeria.
When Choquette (she/her) took on the director’s role, her research found an alignment between Isabelle and herself: “I think it’s an interesting question of gender.
“I identify a lot with her,” the director continued. “I cut my hair short and wouldn’t be caught dead in a skirt. As I read about her, I connected to her writing, which was sometimes about identity and gender. I think I’m in a similar space. I hang out with sapphics and wear what I wear, but ultimately all that is who I am,” she said.
Choquette notes, though, that the show isn’t about Isabelle’s gender journey; it is about her humanity. Nanto adds that she hopes audiences allow themselves to go on this journey that is challenging and provocative.
Both agree that Verdigris’ show will be like nothing people have seen before.
“I’m hoping people can escape the outside world for 70 minutes,” Choquette said. “The show is meditative and powerful, and I think it will serve as a nice respite from our everyday on-the-move.”
For tickets, visit VerdigrisMusic.org/Uproar.
