The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing - Excerpt

American Lyric Theater presents
InsightALT: The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing
at Merkin Concert Hall
Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 7:30 pm

Music by Justine F. Chen
Libretto by David Simpatico

Commissioned by American Lyric Theater
Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director

Featuring:
Jonathan Michie, Baritone (ALAN TURING)
Andrew Bidlack, Tenor (CHRISTOPHER MORCOM)
Members of MasterVoices
Lidiya Yankovskaya, Conductor & Chorus Master
Djordje Nesic, Pianist
Matthew Stephens, Pianist

ABOUT THE OPERA
Commissioned by American Lyric Theater in 2012 to commemorate the Turing Centennial, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing is a two-act opera inspired by the life of the groundbreaking computer scientist, Alan Turing. After saving England in World War II by cracking the Nazi U-boat code, he was found guilty of gross indecency for a homosexual relationship. He chose chemical castration over imprisonment as his punishment. Two years later, Turing was found poisoned near a cyanide-laced apple with a bite taken from it. The apple is believed to be a reference to his obsession with Disney’s Snow White, and the image is rumored to be the inspiration for Apple Computer’s logo. Turing’s mysterious death was labeled a suicide – but there are many other theories. The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing is a historic-fantasia on Turing’s life.

“Our opera imagines the man inside the legend of Alan Turing: his unique perspective of the universe, his unabashed view of his homosexuality, and his impact on the future of civilization. This piece is relevant today not only for restoring Turing to our collective memory, but also because the institutionalized homophobic attitudes faced by Turing continue to threaten the lives of gay men and women across the globe. In fact, this opera is not merely about homophobia, it is about prejudice. This opera celebrates the power of memory, creativity, and the potential within us all to live fully and truly.” -Justine F. Chen and David Simpatico

The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing was made possible in part by a grant from the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation.

American Lyric Theater’s mentorship programs for composers and librettists are made possible by generous lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts; and additional support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, The Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Amphion Foundation, The ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, Friars Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Howard & Sarah D. Solomon Foundation, New Music USA’s Impact Fund (made possible with funding from The Scherman Foundation's Katharine S. and Axel G. Rosin Fund), and OPERA America / The Opera Fund.