Persephone with original puppetry by Michael Curry

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1 Oregon Symphony P-10 CONTACT Shane Jimenez 921 SW Washington, Suite 200 Portland OR Project Budget Grant Request $607,787 $7,000 NA PAST GRANTS AWARDED orsymphony.org 501 (c)(3): Oregon Puppet Theater Persephone with original puppetry by Michael Curry The Oregon Symphony closes its season with the world premiere of a production that pairs Igor Stravinsky s hybrid work Perséphone with original design by the famed Michael Curry. Perséphone is Stravinsky s rendition of the Greek myth of the queen of the underworld and goddess of spring, whose descent into Hades and subsequent reemergence symbolize the progression of the seasons. Curry's stage magic will guide audiences between underworld and Earth through inventive stage design and larger-than-life characters, visually depicting this work s themes of death and resurrection. VIDEO SAMPLE Title: Michael Curry discussing Persephone, filmed September 9, 2016 Artists: Michael Curry Description: Michael Curry describes Stravinsky's Persephone and the original stage design and puppetry he will use to visually bring it to life. PRODUCTION

2 Proposal to the Jim Henson Foundation Stravinsky s Perséphone with original puppetry by Michael Curry Our Request The Oregon Symphony respectfully requests a production grant from the Jim Henson Foundation to support a world premiere production of Igor Stravinsky s hybrid work Perséphone with original puppetry and design by the famed Michael Curry. We will close our 2016/17 season with this unique concert experience running May 13-15, 2017 in the historic Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland, Oregon in May The Work: Perséphone with puppetry by Michael Curry Perséphone is Stravinsky s rendition of the Greek myth of the queen of the underworld and goddess of spring, whose descent into Hades and subsequent reemergence symbolize the progression of the seasons. Called the composer s most tender work, this work tells the story of Persephone through a polyphonic fusion of musical devices: a narrator, soprano singer, chorus, dancers, full orchestra, and libretto by Nobel laureate Andre Gide. The Oregon Symphony will transform Perséphone, written in 1934 and envisioned to include non-musical art forms, for the twenty-first century. We will blend the virtuoso s musical composition with innovative stage design, puppets, choreography, and modern dance. We are planning to present. Our Artistic Partners We are partnering with production designer Michael Curry s to bring this timeless myth to life. Curry s exhilarating stage magic has been seen by audiences at Walt Disney productions, Cirque du Soleil shows, and Olympic ceremonies. He now brings his vision to Stravinsky s work. Our production will visually represent the cycle of the four seasons through inventive stage design, which will guide the audience between underworld and Earth through larger-than-life characters. Plans include a flower-like puppet tower that will rhythmically contract and blossom throughout the performance, visually communicating the work s mythic themes of death and resurrection. In addition to Michael Curry, we are also partnering with other local arts organizations for this performance, including: Pacific Youth Choir, Portland State Chamber Choir, and a dancer from renowned local dance company BodyVox. The Need for New Art A totally original production, Perséphone is vital to our efforts to redefine the symphonic experience for concertgoers. This innovative project will add to the greater artistic canon, contribute to the greater exploration between classical music and visual art, and stand as a production that could be adapted in years to come by orchestras around the world. Seattle Symphony has now scheduled this production of Perséphone for We are grateful to the Jim Henson Foundation for your consideration, and hope we can count on your support as we challenge concertgoers to understand Stravinsky beyond his music and imagine how the aural and visual arts can combine in our community.

3 Michael Curry Artistic Partner for Perséphone In thirty years, Michael Curry has achieved an international reputation as a production designer specializing in transformational scenery, large-scale puppetry, costuming, and character design. He collaborates regularly with the world s foremost entertainment companies, such as The Walt Disney Company, Cirque du Soleil, the Olympic Committee, and the Metropolitan Opera, to create exhilarating performance experiences for global audiences. To realize his creations, Michael Curry surrounds himself with a core team of fifty artists and technicians at his studio in the Portland-metro area. This specialized team provides a full spectrum of services, from concept development through to the final performance. Michael Curry will be our main artistic partner in this synesthetic production of Perséphone. He has chosen to partner with the Oregon Symphony because of this work s epic and engaging rendition of the mythic origin of the seasons, and to invest in art in this community.

4 Our History and Our Mission The Oregon Symphony is the oldest American orchestra west of the Mississippi and one of the largest arts organizations in the Pacific Northwest. We are an orchestra on the move with recent Grammy nominations, record ticket sales and donations, and a growing and diverse audience. In the concert hall, we stage a wide-ranging mix of classical favorites, unique popular acts, and innovative new works. We also bring our art to those in our community who cannot meet us in the hall due to age, disability, or economic and social circumstances. For 120 years, it has been our mission and privilege to bring the joy of music to the citizens of our region. We continue this tradition now and into the future. This season, we anticipate serving a total audience of 250,000+ concertgoers in the concert hall and throughout the community, with thousands more reached via recorded concert broadcasts on All Classical Portland and free online streaming on OrSymphony.org. We will stage daring collaborations with area arts organizations and renowned musicians, world premieres by established composers from our region and beyond, and an eclectic line-up of classical, popular, and daring contemporary works. We are proud to bring joy to our audience, add value to our community, and advance the arts in our region.

5 Perséphone Budget Salaries and wages Orchestra $165,680 Conductors $34,596 Fundraising $25,944 Total Salaries and wages $226,220 Total fringe benefits $78,468 Travel Costs (Guest Artist Travel) $11,900 Other Expenses Guest Artist Fees (88) $150,000 Professional Services (1/rehearsal pianist) $1,500 Stagehands (10) $14,315 Ushers & Security (20) $9,420 Concert Custodian/Engineers (1) $1,260 Music Hall Rent $20,135 Offsite Rehearsal Space Rent $1,200 Hall Usher Fee $14,245 Licensing Fees $11,450 Instrument Rent/Cartage $ 1,280 Music Rent/Shipping $6,660 Stage Equipment Rent $11,500 Video $5,000 Marketing $42,734 Miscellaneous $500 Total other expenses: $291,199 Total Project Costs $ 607,787 Revenue Amount requested from Henson Foundation $7,000 Earned Revenue $284,895 Individual/Foundation Gifts $253,000 OSA Contributing from Operating $62,892 Total Revenue $607,787

6 Michael Curry Concept Sketch: Perséphone Michael Curry Concept Sketch: Hades Michael Curry Concept Sketch: Tree in Spring Michael Curry Concept Sketch: Tree in Winter