Beginning this weekend, UrbanArias presents She, After, an exciting pair of one-woman operatic mono-dramas by composer Daniel Felsenfeld, featuring soprano Emily Pulley.

Like Inscape, UrbanArias is dedicated to commissioning and presenting new works, many by emerging American composers.  Based in Arlington, VA, UrbanArias presents short (under 90 minute) and contemporary (written in the last 40 years) operas. Their unique new production is a thought-provoking and amusing take on the imagined lives of two famous literary women, AFTER their moments of notoriety.

Last spring, UrbanArias critically acclaimed production Paul's Case acquainted us with composer Gregory Spears.  We were extremely impressed with Spear's work and have commissioned a new work from him that will be performed in March and included on our next album!

Inscape is excited to collaborate with UrbanArias on future productions.  In She, After, our principal piano, Tim McReynolds, is featured prominently.

If you love Inscape and new music in the Washington, D.C. area, you will love UrbanArias!  Be sure to check them out from November 9-17 at Artisphere!

Inscape's season opening gala was held at the historic Strathmore Mansion on Thursday September 12, 2013.  A great review by Charles T. Downey appears in The Washington Post.  While you're at it, head on over to Charles's insightful blog, Ionarts, for lots of great reading.    

This week, Inscape is preparing to head back to the Sono Luminus studios in Boyce, Virginia, to record Paul Hindemith's Hérodiade, a neglected but masterful work of the twentieth century.  This recording will be released as a digital exclusive follow-up to Sprung Rhythm, and should be available on iTunes in a few months.

Hérodiade is a unique work in Hindemith's prolific output.  It is an episodic ballet based on the poem by symbolist French poet Stéphane Mallarmé (the same poet who inspired Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune).  While living in the United States, Hindemith composed the work in 1944 for the illustrious American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.  Interestingly, the work premiered at the Library of Congress on the same program as Copland's Appalachian Spring.  Though rarely performed, Hérodiade is one of Hindemith's most expressive and colorful works and  stands comfortably alongside some of his more familiar works such as Mathis der Mahler, or Nobilissima Visione.

It will be a welcome challenge to record this piece which has been in our concert repertoire for several years.  Most recently, we performed it at the National Gallery of Art as part of our program "Color, Line, Light" in March 2013.  After the intensity of recording six world premiere compositions for Sprung Rhythm, we are looking forward to interpreting this work by one of the twentieth century's great composers.   

"Sprung Rhythm", our debut album on the Sono Luminus label, is now available for purchase.  This exciting album is a collection of six world premiere chamber works by three emerging American composers.  The music of Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis, Joseph Hallman, and Justin Boyer are presented in stunning surround sound and stereo mixes.  They are available on a Pure-Audio Blu-ray and standard CD in one package, or available for digital download.

Purchase from Sono Luminus.  
Purchase from Amazon.
Download from iTunes.