sisila ila ila saying goodbye

sisila ila ila saying goodbye is a musical poem evoking a sense of longing for worlds that have been lost or those in the process of being lost. We follow the thoughtful meanderings of an inquisitive viola as the sound of an ice cream truck sparks her childhood memories, which come flooding back the forgotten voice of an indigenous singer, a 1960’s Taiwanese pop song, moments from a Beethoven quartet rehearsal, music of the humpback whales. Her reminiscences come to life with imagery developed by seventh-generation shadow puppet masters from the Tung-Hua Puppet troupe. This new work represents a fresh kind of theater that transports us, visually and musically — as if in a dream— to other worlds, calling upon all to listen to one another, embrace shared experiences of life, and dissolve misperceptions of separateness.

The performance will be followed by a talk and panel discussion with David Rothenberg, acclaimed musician and author of books on music, art, and nature. The reception will be hosted by the Center for the Environmental Studies, Rice University.