In 1958, two residents of Virginia, Mildred Jeter, a black woman, and Richard Loving, a white man, were married in the District of Columbia. The Lovings returned to Virginia shortly thereafter. The couple was then charged with violating the state’s anti-miscegenation statute, which banned inter-racial marriages. On January 6, 1959, the Lovings pleaded guilty to the charge, and were sentenced to one year in jail; however, the trial judge suspended the sentence for a period of 25 years on the condition that the Lovings leave the State and not return to Virginia together for 25 years. He stated in an opinion that:
“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents.
And, but for the interference with his arrangement, there would be no cause for such marriage.
The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.”
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Composer Alon Nechushtan will use this prelude to premiere a new sight specific work part of the Sight/Geist Performance Open Call for Emerging NYC-Based Artists. A vocal lyrical yet dramatic and provocative song cycle set for a duo: a vocalist and musical accompaniment (rotating between 4 light instruments placed in 4 rooms – accordion, keyboard, percussion, bells).
The work will utilize the unique rooms available at the 8th floor by creating 4 separate scenes that relate to the injustice done in Virgina vs. Loving case as a point of departure. The work will invite the audience to participate, by walking among the stops/time traveling in these points in this journey in the life of lovers that did nothing wrong, except finding themselves in the wrong place, fighting injustice and paving the way for justice to come.
Alon Nechushtan has a unique commitment to social justice themes – a topic he explores in several of his operas, music for orchestra, chamber pieces, jazz and big band compositions:
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1. Survival Codes – a 2 act klezmer opera looking at the iron curtain period of the 80s in soviet union and the antisemitism against the jews. CLICK HERE FOR LINK.
2. Chilltown Boogie – a 5 vignettes opera telling the historical events of the foundation of Jersey City from the battle of Paulus Hook, to the corrupt reign of Mayor Frank Hague in 1950s. CLICK HERE FOR LINK.
3. Besa – a chamber work telling the true story of the ritual of Besa – soul bond between the muslims of Albania and holocaust survivors of the death marches in Europe seeking shelter. CLICK HERE FOR LINK.
4. Legit Secrets – a chamber opera telling the story of Commander X a fiction sex offender working in the CIA and exploiting his subordinates. CLICK HERE FOR LINK.
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ALON NECHUSTAN PICTURES:
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