Story and Photos Courtesy of MSC OPAS
Conspirare Founding Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson
Austin-based Conspirare, the 2014 Grammy® award-winning choral ensemble, will perform “Considering Matthew Shepard” on Jan. 29 and 30 at 7:30pm in Rudder Theatre. The performances are presented by MSC OPAS and Leland T. and Jessie W. Jordan Institute for International Awareness. A limited number of free tickets are available for Texas A&M University students. (A valid student ID must be presented at MSC Box Office to claim free tickets). All other tickets are $20 and are on sale now at boxoffice.tamu.edu and (979) 845-1234.
Composed by Conspirare’s Grammy® nominated Founding Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson, “Considering Matthew Shepard” will provide students, staff, and the Texas A&M community an opportunity to experience what Johnson refers to as “a musical response to the tragic death of a young man” that inspires hope, compassion, and ultimately empowerment. The powerful piece utilizes the impactful words of great thinkers such as Hafiz and Hildegard von Bingen to name a few.
OPAS Executive Director Anne Black says, “This is what the arts are all about for me. I was very lucky to see the world premiere of this work last year with my colleagues. It blew us away. I’m so proud to partner with the Jordan Institute to present this to our community. We owe a huge debt of thanks to the numerous campus partners that came on-board as sponsors.”
Nathaniel Teplitskiy, chair of MSC LT Jordan Institute for International Awareness says, “Firstly, I would like to thank OPAS as well as the support around campus that have helped make this program happen. ‘Conspirare: Considering Matthew Shepard’ is unlike anything I have seen before. The truly heartfelt story, the incredible voices, the very important message and all things in between, make this performance an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
