Conductor

What happens when the myth of the American West fractures? When the hero splits into many selves, and the story refuses to behave? In Michael Gordon’s A Western, inspired directly by the film High Noon, Verdigris Ensemble presents the West as a kaleidoscopic dream: familiar figures multiplied, reflected, and distorted through sound and movement. Gary Cooper’s lone sheriff doesn’t appear once, he appears four times, sixteen times, splintered across the stage as the choir becomes shards of a mirror, transforming individuals into crowds and crowds back into a single voice. Raw, loud, and cinematic, A Western confronts the mythology of cowboys, guns, and justice head-on: asking what happens when the stories we rely on start to crack.

The evening opens with the world premiere of To The West, where singers become architecture: forming environments, landscapes, and ecosystems of the West through light, projection, and physical presence. Directed by Kevin Moriarty, conceived and conducted by Sam Brukhman, with visuals by Courtney Ware, this production pushes singers far beyond traditional vocal roles. Here, 16 voices become characters, terrain, and tension itself. To The West lulls audiences into a hypnotic cinematic world before A Western blasts it open. Three nights only, this is not a concert you casually attend: it’s a visceral reimagining of what music can be, and a defining statement in the new music movement Verdigris Ensemble is building.

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A Western

Winspear Opera House

What does it mean to become real? In The Velveteen Rabbit, Verdigris Ensemble returns to the story that began it all: reimagining Margery Williams’ beloved tale as a gentle, magical, and deeply immersive performance for families. Semi-staged with projections and a live actor, this production invites audiences into a world where the voices become landscape, atmosphere, and emotional extension of the story itself. As the Rabbit’s journey unfolds, natural pauses in the narration allow music to bloom, layering feeling, wonder, and playfulness onto each moment, and surrounding the audience in sound that feels alive and responsive.

Directed by Emily Ernst, conceived and conducted by Sam Brukhman, with visuals by Courtney Ware, The Velveteen Rabbit transforms 16 singers into a living environment: shaping the nursery, the seasons, and the inner emotional world of the characters. Created as Verdigris Ensemble’s very first performance and now returning as the final production of Season 9, this work beautifully bridges the past and future as the ensemble approaches its 10th anniversary. With a 60-minute runtime and three performances at Rosewood Center for Family Arts, this is an experience designed especially for families, one that gently reminds us that love doesn’t demand perfection, and that our wear, our scars, and our care for one another are exactly what make us real.

Conductor

Sam Brukhman

Events

Upcoming events

15 - 17 May, 2026

The Velveteen Rabbit · Verdigris Ensemble

Past events

13 - 15 Mar, 2026

A Western · Verdigris Ensemble

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in A Western by Gordon

Verdigris Ensemble

About

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