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A Groundbreaking Hybrid

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects:

It was wonderful to be with you on May 13 at the world premiere of Sing Out Strong: DeColonized Voices. The authenticity of the lyrics combined with the power of music produced an evening of moving and meaningful songs performed with great artistry. For me, a crucial part of the evening was you, our audience. I have been longing to feel your fellowship again and to share moments of sublime beauty with you. Sing Out Strong fulfilled that longed for need. 

The Boston Musical Intelligencer, in a review by Laura Stanfield Prichard, echoed this feeling, describing the concert as a “groundbreaking hybrid […] to be at such an innovative, well-balanced ‘live’ concert event—hearing the live audience response to each song, reading comments from listeners in real-time, and enjoying the multi-layered success of the performers proved a pleasure to behold.”

Two Boston International students who submitted lyrics for the show commented: “That was a powerful concert, an unforgettable experience for me,” Vy Le (“I Was Born in South Vietnam”); “it touches deeply in our hearts to see hundreds and hundreds of people enjoying what we wrote,” Chiruza Muhimuzi (“Congo Song”). For those of you who donated to Boston International, thank you! For those who want to do so, here’s the link again. Please reference Boston International.

I know many of you enjoyed the show, from your emailed and live chat comments throughout the show and I’m happy to share a sampling with you:

“It was very moving both for the voices that you showcased and for the reminder of the excitement of live music (it did indeed feel surprisingly live and was very engaging).”

“Bravo for your company’s brave foray into live performance on Zoom. The important message relayed by all was clear and I believe importantly makes one think, pause, about how we treat one another and how we all participate in some form of dominance over others—by taking away someone’s voice—or minimizing their spirit.”

“[Zoom] is a bridge to when we return to our tactile, acoustical, and visual art form. It’s not ideal, but we will return one day! This is the only portal advancing this wonderful art form today. WSP encompasses an inclusive audience, performers, and creators. We need to applaud them for their platform endeavors.”

“Thanks so much for preserving the live elements of this event.”

“I actually feel like I am communing with an audience. Amazing!”

“I loved the audience participation!”

“We witness the ongoing future of opera—and oh, so, powerful in so many ways.”

Our White Snake Team is grateful for all of you who came to support us, our artists and our mission, and who were able to experience “this hybrid multimedia experiment” which not only succeeded but which “set a new standard for online concerts in the age of pandemic.” (BMINT)

Be safe, be well,

From our White Snake family to all of you.

Cerise and the rest of the WSP team