Ravinia 2024 Issue 3

Amanda Lee Falkenberg transits The Moons and taps into telescopic transfixation BYWEBBEHRENS “ Our siloed-off world can feel a little insular. This is a project that breaks through those barriers and into this interdisciplinary place, where I love to live. ” —MARINALSOP The Verona Rupes , the “Great Wall of Miranda”; illustration by Ron Miller SOMETIMES AN IDEA IS SO INSPIRED, so perfect, you have to wonder: How did this not exist before? It’s not hard to imagine people of the past asking that question about groundbreaking works of creation. In the classical world, consider Mozart’s genre-defying 1787 opera Don Giovanni —simultaneously a farcical comedy and a heavy morality play—which pushed theatrical storytelling forward (it actually depicts the actions of its antihero protagonist, rather than having others sing about his offstage deeds) while soni- cally wowing audiences, such as when three onstage chamber groups play in three different meters simultaneously. In literature, one recipient of the “Wish I Could Innovate Like That” Award belongs to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , the groundbreaking Gothic horror parable of love and belong- ing that, in 1818, also became the world’s first science-fiction novel. In film, look to the 1939 iconic musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz: While undeniably buoyed by legendary performances and ebullient songs, its state-of-the-art cinema- tography redefined how cinema could use color—including the story-driven, eye-popping transition from sepia-toned Kansas to Technicolor Oz that left audiences astonished. Now there’s a new work of genius to elevate into this class: The Moons Symphony , composed by Amanda Lee Falkenberg. Yes, that’s Moons , plural. We earthlings have just one that typi- cally captures our attention; unsurprisingly, that’s what initially fascinated Falkenberg. La Luna proved to be her “gateway drug” into a dazzlingly ambitious project mingling astronomy with music. More specifically, the composer’s multimedia vision led her to combine orchestral and choral composition, cutting-edge visuals, and true planetary science into one glorious achieve- ment. This pioneering new creation was born out of direct col- laboration with an international cohort of researchers, includ- ing scientists at NASA and ESA (the European Space Agency). This thrilling new work is the backbone of this year’s Break- ing Barriers Festival, running Wednesday through Saturday, July 24–27. For the centerpiece concert on Friday, July 26, Ravinia Chief Conductor Marin Alsop leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in an inspired double bill: Gustav Holst’s iconic The Planets suite, followed by The Moons Symphonic Suite , a new edition of Falkenberg’s work featuring orchestra musicians alone. The performance includes stunning videos of various moons in our solar system—imagery collected by various space probes, combined with science-based artistic renderings, projected onto screens in the Pavilion and on the Lawn. After the concert concludes, the Naperville Astronom- ical Association will be on hand with telescopes to facilitate viewings of the planets and moons visible in July’s night sky. “This is unashamedly the highest collaboration of science and music,” Falkenberg told Ravinia Magazine , speaking via video call from her home in Dubai. “I’m so thrilled to have Ravinia host it, and to be outdoors with telescopes.” RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 22 – AUGUST 4, 2024 12