The story of Salomé has been recreated in popular culture for more than 2,000 years. But according to religious scholar Emil Homerin, it’s only in the last two centuries that the character was transformed into a femme fatale. On Oct. 8-11, her evolving role in religion, society, and the arts will be explored in a two-day symposia and series of events titled The Veils of Salomé, at both the University of Rochester and its Eastman School of Music.
“Over time the character of Salomé shifted from a young girl doing the bidding of her spiteful mother, to a threat to all that is holy, and eventually a vengeful femme fatale,” said Homerin, professor of Religion at Rochester. “But whatever her identity, Salomé has become a character whose sexuality and assertiveness threaten the identities and very lives of men.”
Originally introduced in the Bible as a minor character who aids in the beheading of John the Baptist, Salomé later became the focus of fascination for artists in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Their portraits of her dancing and holding a head on a platter influenced famed playwright Oscar Wilde to write ‘Salome,’ which inspired a controversial one-act opera by composer Richard Strauss.
Funded by the University’s Humanities Project, the Veils of Salomé features a talk with Salomé comic book artist P. Craig Russell, Table Top Opera performances, a dance workshop based on Salomé’s Dance of the Seven Veils (which first appeared in Strauss’ original opera), and an exhibition of images in the University’s Rare Books and Special Collections library in Rush Rhees.
“For the musical performances, we want to provide audiences with a live and interactive show unlike any other they’ve ever experienced,” said Matthew Brown, professor of music theory at Eastman and founder of Table Top Opera, a chamber ensemble of Eastman faculty, alumni, and friends. “Our production of Salomé replaces the singers and traditional symphony orchestra with a chamber ensemble of familiar and unfamiliar instruments, including saxophone, trumpet, percussion, piano, electric keyboard, violin, cello, and bass.” The music is paired with illustrations from P. Craig Russell, which will be projected above the musicians during the performance, and a newly choreographed version of Salomé’s “Dance of the Seven Veils.”
Admission to the Oct. 8 performance of “Salomé” in Kodak Hall at the Eastman School is $10, free to University of Rochester faculty, students, and staff with valid University ID; admission to the Oct. 10 performance in the Interfaith Chapel on River Campus is free. A video trailer about “Salomé,” featuring illustrations from Russell’s comic book, can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRMOBtu1A_g.
Symposium talks are free and open to the public. For a detailed schedule of events, visit www.rochester.edu/college/humanities or contact Homerin at emil.homerin@rochester.edu.
