Dear colleagues,
 
Last night's performance of Don Freund's "Passion with Tropes" was an unqualified success, and an event of real significance for all creative persons who care about the future of our craft. Had it taken place in New York, Boston, or Chicago, reports of this important artistic event would be plastered all over the major arts news media. The conception, execution, and standard of performance of this work, by all parties involved, were at the highest level. That the performers could produce such an assured and authoritative reading of a difficult multi-disciplinary work at the first performance was truly remarkable - a powerful testament to Dr. Tellez's brilliant vision and leadership. 
Don Freund's score is a deeply felt and provocative examination on the meaning of human suffering. The masterfully constructed libretto juxtaposes religious, philisophical ,and poetic texts which together argue the fundamental question of whether human suffering has any meaning beyond corporeal existence. I was particularly astounded, near the end of the piece, by Freund's intertwining of texts from Genesis, Revelations, and the Exultet from the Easter Vigil liturgy. I have known these texts my entire life, but until last night I had never grasped the profound connections between the ideas embedded in these ancient words. This was a transcendent moment that I will be forever grateful to Don Freund for leading us to.
"Passion with Tropes" has set a new standard for multi-disciplinary collaboration. All of the elements worked together seamlessly to create an emotional and spiritual place for the listener/viewer to confront the hardest questions of human existence. Music, text, original art, dance, acting, lighting, staging - all came together in a rich and multi-layered experience. There were four separate departments/schools within the University that came together to create this work. Last night's performance proved definitively that these kinds of collaboration are our artistic future. 
Again, congratulations to Dr. Tellez for being a visionary who could see the possibilities in this piece, whose unfaltering belief in the work brought it to fruition, and who channeled all of the disparate elements of this production into a profoundly moving experience for the audience. Her selfless, virtuoso conducting allowed the work to unfold on it own terms. Her coordination of the large ensemble of performers spread throughout the theatre was remarkable - even at great distances, in the dark, there was never a moment of ensemble insecurity or dis-unity. 
There is only one performance remaining - tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Wells-Metz Theatre. Seating is limited (and there was a capacity crowd at last night's performance). I can't encourage you enough to try to attend.
 
All the best,
 
Bill