by Carolina
Wednesday, Jul. 30, 2003 at 4:20 PM
The premiere performance of " The Transfigured Body (2003)", a multi-media performance piece celebrating
the life of Gwen Araujo, a slain transgender teenager and other LBT individuals
The premiere performance will be held July 30th at 7:00 p. m. at:
Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles
8714 Santa Monica Blvd.,
West Hollywood CA, 90069
The Transfigured Body (2003) is a multi-media performance piece celebrating
the life of Gwen Araujo, a slain transgender teenager and other LBT individuals
who have fallen victim to crimes of hate.
Featuring a music score by
Christopher A. Flores, lyrics / videography by Adrian Ravarour, video art / lighting design by R. Aaron Ruiz and costumes by Gustavo Gonzalez, the work
incorporates Aztec mythological themes and iconography, the cycle of birth,
life, death, transcendence and rebirth in a spiritual journey of affirmation, identity and being. This music / video performance includes the participation of Maria
Roman, Alexis Rivera, members of AguaLuna Dance Company and vocalist Joe Ponce.
The premiere performance will be held July 30th 7:00 at:
Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles
8714 Santa Monica Blvd.,
West Hollywood CA, 90069
Admission is free.
This event is co-sponsored by The City of West Hollywood and MCCLA.
The Transfigured Body
A Requiem In Celebration of Gwen Araujo
(2003)
The work is a Requiem in Celebration of the life of Gwen Araujo, a slain
teenager, and in memory of other young LGBT Victims of Hate Crimes who were
killed
due to their identities. Gwen Araujo, 17, a transgendered youth was murdered
in October 2002 when it was discovered that she was biologically male. Fred
A. Martinez, Jr., a two-spirited Navajo teenager, age 16, and Manuel Reyes
Eredia also known as Alina Marie Barragan, age 19, met similar fates.
The text is loosely based upon the Requiem format and incorporates elements
of Aztec mythology and folklore as many of these young victims descended from
Latino/a heritage. The piece is universal, because all lives emerge from the
same source and have the same soul. It opens with an invocation incorporating
the Mexican myth of Xochiquetzal as the harbinger of the transformative process
and the female consort of the transgendered person. It reflects the
historical precedent of earlier people accepting and honoring their diversities.
Gwen
Araujo acknowledged and accepted her life in being honest and living life
honestly. Such heinous Hate Crimes must not be tolerated; and, each victimís
bravery and heroism must not be forgotten.
The Requiem is a Celebration of Gwen and all LGBT youths who have died as
victims of Hate Crimes. It is also a celebration of all individuals who were
brave enough to realize and live their lives truthfully and honestly. The
Transfigured Body is a modern requiem of five songs that celebrate the journey
of
self-discovery, realization and transcendence. The work is written from the
perspective of the soul. The Requiem asks for society to recognize its LGBT
children, to accept all people, and ends with the liberation of the soul in
death