A Collaboration of Communities

Sirens and Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors together in a part of me and you

Sirens will kick off its 2018-19 season with a concert that reflects on the fragility of our planet and the responsibility we have to one another in a part of me and you. This concert will be presented in collaboration with the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors, best known for their multimedia theatrical work Mi’kmaq Legends. The performance will take place on November 17, 2018 at 7:30 pm at the Steel Recital Hall at UPEI.

Singers and actors alike will reflect on challenges like reconciliation, sustainability and taking action, with a particular focus on PEI. Sirens will be joined by the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors in the PEI premiere of “Sorrow Song for Whales,” a work by Canadian composer Jeff Enns, with lyrics by PEI’s Poet Laureate Deirdre Kessler. Kessler based her lyrics on a Mi’kmaq legend as told by Elder Matilda Knockwood Snache. The song tells a parallel story to the original legend, and contemplates the plight of whales and our shared responsibility to the earth.

The concert will also feature the world premiere of “Thee,” a new work by Island composer E.K.R. Hammell, based on a text by L.M. Montgomery. “Thee” is a reflection on heartbreak and the value of shared personal experiences. Another piece, “How the Blossoms are Falling,” is a Canadian composition with text by Joy Kogawa, a Japanese-Canadian woman who was imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp during World War Two. The lyrics speak of forgiveness, moving forward, and the natural evolution of life.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door.