Composer Jacob Bancks presents the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Living Proof Exhibit Opera "Karkinos" at the Bartlett Performing Arts Center -- February 12.
Saturday, February 12, 7:30 p.m.
Bartlett Performing Arts Center, 3600 Avenue of the Cities, Moline IL
Designed to provide hope and celebration for those with cancer and all who love them, the Living Proof Exhibit's and Quad City Symphony Orchestra's opera Karkinos will enjoy a special presentation at Moline's Barlett Performing Arts Center on February 12, with the ensemble's musicians and conductor Mark Russell Smith treating guests to a dazzling new work by Jacob Bancks, whose compositions have been praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer as "frisky, colorful, voluble, and written in a direct musical style."
Presented in collaboration with Living Proof Exhibit, the area organization dedicated to providing the therapeutic benefits of the arts to those impacted by cancer, the commissioned opera Karkinos was inspired by direct conversations with cancer sufferers and members of their families. In this emotional, multi-media work that features chamber orchestra, vocal soloists, dancers, and choir, Karkinos depicts the story of a beautiful empress who is forced into battle with the unseen monster of the title on the night before her coronation. Beyond the participation of Bancks and Smith, Karkinos will boast a number of significant talents both on and off stage: soprano Sarah Shafer as the Empress; mezzo soprano Kelly Hill as the Maid; baritone Nathaniel Sullivan as the Angel; Kara Bouck, Hanna Schaeffeler, and Emily Trapnell as featured dancers; Shelley Cooper as the production's stage director; Kristin Marrs as its choreographer; and Jon Hurty as director of the Augustana College Choral Artists.
With his works praised by the New York Times as “colorfully orchestrated” and “invitingly lyrical,” Karkinos composer Jacob Bancks serves as an associate professor of music at Augustana College and directs the choir of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. In addition to writing program notes for the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and co-hosting a monthly educational program on WVIK public radio, Bancks has composed frequently for local ensembles including the Moline High School Orchestra, the Quincy Symphony, and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Recordings of his music have been released by American Modern Recordings and broadcast on BBC Radio 3, American Public Media’s Performance Today, and WFMT-Chicago Classical Radio. Beyond his composition of Karkinos, recent projects for Bancks have included a large cycle of solo piano music for pianist Kuang-Hao Huang and a concerto for clarinetist Ricardo Morales, co-commissioned by the Quad City Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
One hour prior to the Karkinos performance on February 12, attendees are invited to attend a pre-concert conversation in the Bartlett Performing Arts Center hall featuring Bancks, host Kai Swanson, and Quad City Symphony Orchestra Maestro and Conductor Mark Russell Smith, and Living Proof Exhibit will host a small art exhibition before and after the performance, the lobby display showcasing works by a range of LPE artists.
Admission to the 7:30 p.m. event is $10-30, while digital-access admission is also an option at $25 per household, with the performance available for viewing for 30 days following its premiere. For more information on Karkinos and tickets to the opera, call (563)322-0931 and visit QCSO.org.
