A silhouetted performer crosses a geometric set washed in purple light.

2014 · Paula Cooper Gallery

Mistrovská Díla

A woman stands in a white room beneath the projected words to talk and listen.

Petr Kotík’s chamber opera Mistrovská Díla (Master-Pieces) adapts Gertrude Stein’s lecture “What Are Master-pieces and Why Are There So Few of Them?” into a staged inquiry about artistic value and authority.

Three performers in black pose before a tall white doorway on a blue stage.

A silhouetted performer crosses a white room beneath repeated projected words.

A seated figure appears at the edge of a white geometric room under cool light.

Three silhouetted figures stand before a white doorway beneath projected text.

Presentations

2014: Paula Cooper Gallery · New York City
2014: Jiří Myron Theatre — world premiere and festival commission · Ostrava, Czech Republic

Composer: Petr Kotík
Libretto Adaptation: Petr Kotík with Michael Rau

Performer: Kamala Sankaram (soprano)
Performer: Marty Coyle (tenor)
Performer: Jeffrey Gavett (baritone)
Performer: Adrian Rosas (bass)
Performer: Pauline Kim Harris (violin)
Performer: Members of Ostravská banda

Recognition

World premiere and festival commission; performed in the English original with Czech subtitles