Seattle Symphony: Surrogate Cities

Jocelyn B. Smith, vocals
David Moss, vocals
Ludovic Morlot, conductor

Heiner Goebbels – Surrogate Cities

Surrogate Cities, a multimedia extravaganza by the German composer and theater artist Heiner Goebbels, studies the essence of a modern metropolis – its people, its power structures, and its place in a changing world – with the world premiere of a new piece woven into Surrogate Cities. The music, like the city itself, is both organic and structured, a blur of human and machine-made sounds enhanced with striking visual effects. Texts by Paul Auster and Hugo Hamilton, two of the great novelists of urban life, supply a gritty script. Vocalist Jocelyn B. Smith brings the sultry intimacy of a cabaret singer, and David Moss delivers an explosive vocal performance that ranges from laconic film noir narration to hallucinogenic outbursts. As our city continues its rapid transformation, this timely performance offers surprising new angles of self-reflection.

The Seattle Symphony invites young people ages 8 to 18 to attend most Delta Air Lines Masterworks, Seattle Pops, and Untuxed series performances FREE with the purchase of an adult ticket. Family Connections tickets are available at the time of adult ticket purchase by phone and in-person only at the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office. For more information, visit the Seattle Symphony Family Connections page.

About Seattle Symphony

Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives, and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 26 Grammy nominations, and two Emmy Awards, and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle.