Moby Dick; or The Whale © Schauspielhaus
Moby Dick; or The Whale
Present Music’s 43rd concert series presents a rare Milwaukee screening. Moby Dick; or, The Whale, a silent film by trans visual artist Wu Tsang and Moved by Motion art collective, will be shown at the Oriental Theatre on Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. This unique project includes an original musical score for 15 instruments performed Present Music’s core musicians under the direction of conductor Georgia Mills, conductor.
As part of our high school English curriculum most of us read, or at least pretended to have read, Hermann Melville’s 1851 novel Moby Dick. Back then, the assignment’s main purpose was to expose us to that great classic of American literature. No doubt the discussion at the time confined Melville’s message to the protagonist Captain Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of Moby Dick, a white sperm whale responsible for Ahab’s loss of his crew and his leg during a previous whale hunt. In that basic reading, it was a man against nature novel focusing on Ahab’s resolve and his disastrous end.
Interestingly, the novel’s subtext has not gone entirely unnoticed. Some years ago, one Texas school district banned Moby Dick because, according to a statement given at the time, “it conflicted with community values.” One can easily surmise what those values might have been given the fact that Hermann Melville was very likely gay himself.
Deeper Retelling
Wu Tsang’s more recent and mystically deeper retelling comes in the form of a silent feature length movie, replete with intertitles, soundscape and original music composed by Caroline Shaw and Andrew Yee with Asma Maroof. Released in 2022, Tsang’s film dissects Melville’s novel in ways most of us were never allowed to, namely, as an exploration of queerness, maleness, 19th century imperialism, class, capitalism and ecology. Its queer overtones and gender fluid casting makes this work particularly timely. With occasional narration by poet Fred Molton, Tsang’s contemporary take elevates the novel’s characters, Ishmael (whose self-introduction “Call me Ishmael” opens the telling of the tale) and Queequeg, a seaman and one of the ship’s harpooners. Their intimate “foreign but familiar” relationship becomes a focal point and one of the film’s many metaphors.
Like the collaboration of the many arts organizations, actors, musicians, designers and producers that created Moby Dick; or, The Whale, the Milwaukee presentation was made possible by a confluence of artists, sponsors and diverse partnerships. Asked why Present Music decided to embark on such an undertaking, Artistic Director Eric Segnitz explained the organization’s long history of performing music with silent films like the original Nosferatu, The City without Jews and a more recent work, Philip Glass’ Beauty and the Beast.
“We had worked with Caroline Shaw after she won the Pulitzer for Music in 2013. We noticed she had done the collaboration with Wu Tsang and the collective of artists. So, I looked into the score and realized it was something we could do,” Segnitz said. The result was a connection made with Tsang through her film production company and agent. Present Music then spent nine months working on the project as part of its current six concert series.
Contemporary Music, Contemporary Life
Speaking to the queer nature of Tsang’s film, Segnitz continued, saying “We want our program to be inclusive of all the great works being produced. It is within the mission, and we have always been like that. Our job is to stay relevant. We seek out works to show how contemporary music fits into contemporary life.” He also mentioned David Bloom, Present Music’s former co-artistic director for five years and now artistic director of New York City’s Queer Urban Orchestra, who continues to consult Present Music and was instrumental in bringing Moby Dick to Milwaukee.
The film’s screening at the Oriental Theatre is a fortuitous occasion unto itself. “The film has been done around the world mostly in museum settings. The requirements are stringent regarding the screening and the Oriental had that critical mass. As a cultural partner, Milwaukee Film has been great in working with us,” Segnitz said.
Dubbed a Lavender Valentine’s Day event by Present Music Development Strategist Dan Petry, the screening also offers a nostalgic moment for Milwaukee’s LGBTQ community. Reminiscent of the opening gala of the Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival traditionally held at the Oriental Theatre for much of the festival’s near 35-year history, Petry hopes to recreate the festival’s vibe, mentioning a post-screening reception and the opportunities for audience members to engage with the musicians after the performance. With details to be announced, some of the evening’s features will harken back to our community’s halcyon days. In fact, it was through the efforts of festival director Carl Borger that an up-and-coming Wu Tsang first came to Milwaukee in 2013 to present one of her most significant films Wildness, a documentary about the Silver Platter, a Los Angeles Latino LGBTQ bar famous for its performance art parties.
Event updates and special rates for artist and student tickets, an “LGBTQPM” discount as well as a ticket and Plaza Hotel package, are available through presentmusic.org/events/event-five-r9frm
