“[Tyshawn Sorey] was the composer of the year…an artist at the nexus of the music industry’s artistic and social concerns.”
—The New York Times
“Director Peter Sellars…has become a landmark in visionary programming.”
—The Boston Globe
Fifty years ago, composer Morton Feldman wrote music to commemorate the opening of the Rothko Chapel in Houston. A half-century later, composer, conductor, multi-instrumentalist and MacArthur “Genius” Tyshawn Sorey has created a new piece, commissioned by the Armory, as a tribute to both the deeply contemplative space and the work by this composer that has influenced his creative output. The resulting score provides the listener with the feeling of being enveloped in sound in much the same way that Mark Rothko’s paintings give in that space, revealing ever changing shades of color and texture.
Visionary director Peter Sellars returns to the Armory following his unforgettable stagings of St. Matthew Passion (2014) and FLEXN (co-created with Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray in 2015, 2017) to ritualize this deeply moving work. Within the confines of a ceremonial chamber, audiences are immersed in Sorey’s composition, works by celebrated visual artist Julie Mehretu, and choreography by flex pioneer Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray to gain new perspectives on time, space, and movement. And while profoundly personal, this spiritual happening also serves as an invocation of the collective memory and ancestral trauma of our time and the distant but resonant past.
Artist Talk: Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)
Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 6:00pm
Tickets: $15 (plus fees)
Tyshawn Sorey discusses Monochromatic Light (Afterlife) with collaborators Julie Mehretu, Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray, and Davóne Tines in a conversation moderated by Peter Sellars.
A Park Avenue Armory Commission
The musical composition Monochromatic Light (Afterlife) was originally co-commissioned by Park Avenue Armory, DaCamera, and Rothko Chapel in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Rothko Chapel.
Composer, Conductor, Tyshawn Sorey
Director, Peter Sellars
Visual Artist, Julie Mehretu
Choreographer, Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray
Lighting Design, James F. Ingalls
Sound Design, Marc Urselli
Viola, Kim Kashkashian
Piano/Celesta, Sarah Rothenberg
Percussion, Steven Schick
Soloist, Davóne Tines
Choir, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
Monochromatic Light (Afterlife) is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Photo: John Rogers
September 27–October 8, 2022
Tuesday–Thursday at 7:30pm
Friday–Saturday at 8:00pm
Tickets start at $40 (plus fees)
This performance is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission. Please note there is no late seating.
Wade Thompson Drill Hall
View the seating chart.
Health and Safety Protocols
Effective September 26, 2022, masks are optional—all guests are encouraged to wear a mask in the Armory to protect themselves and others. To view additional COVID-19 Policies, please visit our FAQs page.
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Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling the Box Office at (212) 933-5812 Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM.
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