New England Public Media Airs Oblivion and Angelus

New England Public Media has produced a special feature on my latest two works for stage, Oblivion and Angelus. The show, hosted by John Voci, will air and livestream Sunday, January 25th, at 7PM EST. You can check NEPM or other NPR affiliates closer to you for the radio broadcast, or you can listen to the online broadcast.

The recordings broadcast feature some exceptional performances. You can read more about Oblivion here, and more about Angelus here

Hope you will tune in on Sunday!

The NEPM description:

“The broadcast will feature Aylward’s entire one-act opera “Oblivion” and selections from his ten-song monodrama “Angelus.” “Oblivion” explores the afterlife, in all its spiritual, mythological, and existential aspects. “Angelus” is a personal work that reflects on the history of displacement and isolation that John Aylward’s mother encountered as a child refugee in Germany after WWII.”

White Rush

I recently worked with artist / director Laine Rettmer on a short operetta called White Rush. The work is about a surreal meeting between Leda (from the myth Leda and the Swan) and Kurt Cobain. As they meet and sing together, they come to terms with issues surrounding how cultural mythologies propagate negative stereotypes around sexual assault and normalize it.

Leda was played by Aliana de la Guardia. I composed the score for electronics and electric guitar. The performance was part of a full multimedia installation by Laine Rettmer also called White Rush at AREA Gallery in Boston.

White Rush (2018) 30′
Concept by Laine Rettmer
Book by Laine Rettmer
Music by John Aylward

Premiere: AREA Gallery. Boston, MA. David Guerra, gallerist