Went to an amazing multimedia performance last night at the Cotuit Center for the Arts of “Black Inscription”, a song cycle created by local musicians Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi and Jeremy Flower. The title comes from a reference by Rachel Carson to the line of microplants that live wherever the sea touches the rocky shoreline. The story was inspired by the life and death of free diver Natalia Mochanova. It’s impossible to describe the work adequately, as it’s certainly not like anything else I’ve ever seen. The music is a combination of original rock and jazz, the spoken text is voiced by Falmouth actress Tatyana Gessen and written by Hannah Silva, the sound design is by Quentin Chiappetta, and the visuals are from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. It’s an immersive, amazing work of art, and very different. There are a few seats left for Sunday’s performance at 2:00. Go, but only if you’re ready to surrender to wonder, allusion, and ambiguity, delivered by amazing creators!
