1. “The Prairie”
June 28 at the Rose Theater and July 7 in Bridgehampton
Renowned conductor and composer Lukas Foss wrote this cantata at 21 (after escaping Nazi Germany with his family), inspired by the words of Carl Sandburg’s “Prairie.” Now, he’s unearthed the piece for a fresh performance involving several local groups, including the Brooklyn Philharmonic.
2. “REwind: A Cantata for Voice, Tape and Testimony”
July 6 at Celebrate Brooklyn!
The Johannesburg composer Philip Miller was inspired by the testimony at South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s human-rights-violation hearings after the fall of apartheid. His cantata weaves those recordings with moving vocal parts sung by local and South African musicians —all performed outdoors at Prospect Park.