Productions

Perfect Lives Manhattan

An opera by Robert Ashley, produced and performed by VARISPEED, a newly formed collective of composer-performers from experimental theatre group Panoply Performance Laboratory, ensemble thingNY, and Why Lie? that creates site-specific, sometimes-participatory, oftentimes-durational, forevermore-experimental events. Founded by Aliza Simons, Dave Ruder, Paul Pinto, Brian McCorkle, and Gelsey Bell, Varispeed came together in June 2011 to perform a twelve-hour celebration of Perfect Lives Brooklyn before they were invited to perform the critically-acclaimed version in November as part of Performa ’11. Their new arrangements in Perfect Lives Manhattan made Time Out New York and New York Times’ critic Steve Smith’s “Best of 2011” list.

Varispeed has uploaded vimeos of all seven episodes, as presented on November 6, 2011 throughout lower Manhattan.

The Park

The Bank

The Supermarket

The Church

The Backyard

The Living Room

The Bar

Contact the group at: varispeedcollective@gmail.com