White Snake Projects Presents

COSMIC

COWBOY

A sci-fi opera exploring the mysteries of space, time, and love

September 16-18, 2022, Emerson Paramount Center, Robert J. Orchard Stage

Cosmic Cowboy

Elena Ruehr, composer | Cerise Lim Jacobs, librettist

Commissioned by White Snake Projects

Run Time: Approx. 90 minutes without intermission; Performed in English with subtitles

September 16-18, 2022

Emerson Paramount Center, Roert J. Orchard Stage

SYNOPSIS

Traverse the mysteries of time, space and love, through wormholes and black holes, in this sci-fi opera that blends live staging and virtual reality. Inspired by both the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock and the historic landing of the space probe Philae on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Cosmic Cowboy meditates on both the power of human imagination and the consequences of our colonizing impulse.

The opera is an eclectic romp through the universe that ranges from the formation of the cosmos by the mating of the Sumerian gods Tiamat and Apsu to a touching pas de deux between Cooper, a robotic space probe, and Tiamat’s daughter, Tia.

Trailer

Photo Gallery

The Inspiration

I was totally fascinated by the landing of the robotic probe, Philae, on a speeding comet – 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

I’ve followed Philae’s botched landing with bated breath, rooting for the the washing machine sized probe as it bounced several times when its thrusters failed to deploy, sending it reeling about due to 67/P’s lower gravity. I’ve sighed with disappointment as its battery shut down because it landed in the shadow of an overhang and did not have the requisite sunlight to recharge itself. I’ve jumped with joy when 67/P sped nearer the sun and Philae was rejuvenated. I’ve watched with admiration as that plucky little robot sent back streams of data. I’ve read with curiosity the articles that there may be alien microbes on 67/P which Philae could unearth, and now, water, on Mars! Then there is that TED Talk,“How We’ll Live on Mars,” by Stephen Petranek. I didn’t know if I want to be an early pioneer colonizing Mars, or protest against this imperialist colonization of a distant planet by infecting it with microbes from Earth and changing its environment using global warming even as we are fighting this phenomenon here on Earth. In short, how could I not write about Philae, 67/P, and “our” future Mars colony? Thus Cosmic Cowboy came about. I envisioned a god(s) that created the universe and our Milky Way galaxy. In particular, the goddess Tia, daughter of Tiamat, the Mother of Creation of the ancient Sumerians, patrolling our little part of the universe on a comet, riding its bucking, fiery body like the cowboys of old.

CAST

CHORUS

Lizzy Stant
Carina DiGianfilippo
Xiao Xiao

Juliette Kaoudji
Daon Drisdom
Benjamin Maines

Scott Ballantine
Benedict Hensley

CREATIVES

Opera Maker + Librettist

Music Director

Costume Designer

Audio Engineer & Tutti Remote Inventor

Sound Designer

Lighting Designer

Projection Designer

Rehearsal Pianist

Assistant Pianist

TECHNOLOGISTS

Roboticist

Director of Innovation

CGI/VR

VR Technical Artist

3D Animator

Technical Assistant

Concept Art and Fabrication

SUPPORT

White Snake Projects’ 2021-2022 programming is supported in part by grants from the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This project is made possible by a Live Arts Boston grant from the Boston Foundation and Boston Cultural Council, Reopen Creative Boston Fund, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.