By Norka Quinones<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On October 11th, 2025, I attended a performance of La Passion De Simone at the Baruch Performing Arts Center\u2019s Nagelberg Theatre. The theatre was a small, intimate block-box experience performed by The New School students. I was a witness to student performances in Mannes Opera, which was directed by Emma Griffin and conducted by Micah Gleason. The production was based on the oratorio by Kaija Saariaho, which is structured with fifteen stations that explore the life of French activist and philosopher Simone Weil. The cast of student performers was led by Brooke Jones, Daniella Brancato, Ruijia Dong, and several other students who greatly contributed as well. There are sadly no extensive bios I can refer to that describe the student performers, which means this performance will serve as the primary lens I use to examine their artistry. I chose this concert due to recommendations, and with my prior knowledge that Saariaho is regarded as one of the most influential contemporary composers. I am a big fan of creative, innovative feminist works and had hoped that choosing this concert would reward me with an immersive experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found the theatre to be more intimate and smaller than I had in mind, with it just seating over a one hundred audience members. Student ushers guided us throughout the building until we ultimately entered the theatre, where I chose a seat in the back that allowed me to view the whole stage and ensemble. The orchestra was in the left corner of the venue, which consisted of about 15 to 20 student musicians, dressed in all black. On the other side, the cast all decided to sport dark blue, which perfectly aligned with the soft and harsh blue lighting used throughout the performance, representing the somber themes explored within the opera. Even though I don’t have formal bios to review and break apart their experience as performers, I found their vocals to be stunning and signs of clear practice and discipline. The opening performer, Ruija Dong, set the stage for the opera by providing an incredibly technically difficult performance under striking blue lighting that coincided with her almost haunting vocals. Brooke Jones and Daniella Brancato also gave a layered and emotional performance with their striking vocals and showcased amazing emotional depth through their acting in the opera. These girls showcased a beautifully sorrowful narrative that this opera explores, and seamlessly blended in with the ensemble and orchestra through their harmonies and eccentric movements. All the performers had a hand in strengthening the emotional impact this opera has on its viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saariaho, being the composer of his opera, meant that a lot of my research heavily relied on understanding her life in order to digest the context behind La Passion De Simone. Saariaho was a Finnish composer who was widely considered as one of the greatest composers of the century in a 2019 BBC Music Magazine Poll. She was celebrated for her contributions to contemporary music and opera, and sadly passed away in 2023 at the age of 70. She studied at IRCAM in Paris, which eventually led her towards \u2018spectralism\u2019. This method focused on the natural qualities and polyphonic textures of the sounds. By working to blend these electronic sounds and musical instruments seamlessly, Saariaho was able to create a unique, unified sound of layered, emotional music. Saariaho\u2019s creative process is very poetic, with her often describing her music as a rich blend of various colors, sounds, and even scents. La Pasion De Simone is representative of this sentiment, as I saw through its electronic soundscape and atmospheric staging throughout the performance. The oratorio is based on a libretto by Amin Maalouf, where we are given an outline of Simone Weil\u2019s life through fifteen stations that examine the emotional depth of Weil\u2019s life, including her political activism, spiritual journey, until her tragically ultimate death in 1943 during World War II. During the performance, I was met with the sweet scents of coffee and toast that were made in a small kitchen present onstage. This kitchen is representative of Saariaho\u2019s switch towards spectralism, hoping to provide sensory experiences to help deepen this already emotional story being presented. I knew I would eventually need to revisit parts of this performance, and I used a recorder to capture each station to the best of my abilities. I found that even if I did not have access to these recordings, the performance still touched me deeply and offered a warmth that the recordings could not replicate. The intimacy of the venue allowed me to connect with this performance more deeply than I would have in a concert hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the performance, the cohesiveness I observed was what led to such an emotional and unified experience for all in the audience. I was engaged as a listener. I found that \u201cthe others\u201d were very cohesive, as they best served as the harmony and backing vocals. On the other hand, the main vocalists had strong, penetrating voices that reached every corner of the venue. The performers did not speak during the performance, and we were instead graced with a narrator who stayed hidden at the top row, speaking in French every few stations in order to move the story along. Under Micah Gleason’s careful conducting, the orchestra was able to efficiently guide the performance as they maintained the use of traditional sounds and instruments with electronic effects. Though I am not a huge fan of operas\/musicals, I did thoroughly enjoy this one. It was such an immersive experience, and I found that the intimate atmosphere added to it. I think the story was especially beautiful, and showcased a new, interesting life story for me to further explore. The unification that was present during this performance created an environment dedicated to dissecting Simone Weil\u2019s life rather than simply telling it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though I had expected something more extravagant, this experience is one that’s definitely worth eventually repeating. I found that the performers not only met my expectations but showcased beautiful depth and vocals throughout their performance, all while having a unified stage presence. This performance of La Passion De Simone didn\u2019t meet my expectations, but instead exceeded them. Despite this small venue, the intimate setting helped make this immersive experience even more memorable to me. If I were speaking to someone else, I would definitely recommend this opera to them, especially someone who may be interested in modern-day\/contemporary operas. I witnessed powerful storytelling and talented young performers who put a lot of effort into bringing this work to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Works Cited
\u201cKaija Saariaho Voted Greatest Living Composer by BBC Music Magazine.\u201d Music Finland, 2019, musicfinland.com\/en\/news\/kaija-saariaho-voted-greatest-living-composer-by-bbc-music-magazine. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Estate of Kaija Saariaho. \u201cKaija Saariaho.\u201d Kaija Saariaho, 9 Oct. 2025, saariaho.org\/works\/la-passion-de-simone. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKaija Saariaho.\u201d Ircam.fr, 2023, brahms-old.ircam.fr\/en\/kaija-saariaho. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOperas by Kaija Saariaho.\u201d Wisemusicclassical.com, 2018, www.wisemusicclassical.com\/features\/2019\/08\/saariaho-operas\/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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