World Premier of Continent's End at First United Methodist Church

When: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 8 p.m.
Where: First United Methodist Church of Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove
Cost: Free
Age limit: Not available
Categories: Performance art, Poetry, Spoken word

Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli says his creative life reached a turning point when he discovered a little volume of verse called Selected Poems by Robinson Jeffers. The poetry within -- sweeping primal narratives where Jeffers juxtaposes scenes of unmitigated violence with gentle lyricism -- summoned images of an area both men know well. Anderson-Bazzoli, a classical contemporary composer based out of Los Angeles, called the Monterey peninsula and its dramatic and sublimely beautiful coastline his home for a number of years. "In Jeffers I discovered an artist that, literally, mythologized the landscape of my childhood," he says in a statement. In a sort of grand homage to Jeffers and his work, Anderson-Bazzoli has arranged for piano and mezzo-soprano a work entitled Continent's End -- a song cycle based on Jeffers' poems.The famous poem from which the song cycle takes its name, along with other selected verses (such as Granite and Cypress and Fire on the Hills) have a consistent narrative point of view, which will be vocalized by Valentina Osinski and her golden mezzo. Anderson-Bazzoli has returned home to Jeffers country to conduct the world premier of Continent's End. Additionally, a reading by acclaimed Bay Area poet Kim Addonizio will be featured. The performance is part of the larger event, Intone One Language: A Celebration of Robinson Jeffers in Poetry and Music, which takes place May 25-27 at the Asilomar Conference Grounds.[JAF]
8pm. First United Methodist Church, 915 Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove. Free. www.posthornmusic.com/events/jeffers.html

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