“Where you come from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there.” —Flannery O’Connor, Wise Blood
Visual artist Chris Larson and composer Anthony Gatto join forces to bring the darkly humorous world of Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood to life. Set in the Soap Factory, the post-industrial beauty of a 130-year-old factory turned art gallery, this wild and immersive opera-exhibition takes us on an intimate journey alongside the oftentimes eccentric and always captivating characters of this Southern Gothic tale. The audience is guided directly into, around, and through the galleries that feature large-scale installation pieces, kinetic sculptures, and live music.
Directed by Twin Cities’ favorite Michael Sommers, WISE BLOOD features an incredibly diverse cast of performers including celebrated New York opera tenor Martin Bakari, baritone Brian Major, Zoo Animal’s Holly Hansen, New York–based singer Gelsey Bell, Baroque music master David Echelard, actor Jason Paul Andrews, and other special guests. The Adam Meckler Orchestra provides the core musical accompaniment to this masterful story of redemption and retribution in 1950s America.
— The Soap Factory and Walker Art Center