Density512 recently announced the world premiere of the new Holocaust Remembrance opera Eva and the Angel of Death with performances on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at sundown (8:04 PM) and Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 2 PM in the Austin Central Public Library Special Events Center (710 W Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78701).

Scheduled in conjunction with the end of Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt, and Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Density512 shares the powerful story of Auschwitz survivor Eva Mozes Kor. Eva, along with her twin sister Miriam, survived Dr. Josef Mengele’s medical experiments in Auschwitz. Fifty years after her liberation, Kor returned to Auschwitz to declare her forgiveness. Eva’s story explores the long-lasting psychological impact of trauma, processes of grief, and the potential for healing through forgiveness. As Kor states in her Declaration of Amnesty at the 50-year anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, “I hope, in some small way to send the world a message of forgiveness, a message of peace, a message of hope, a message of healing.” Density512 hopes in some small way to share her message with the world.

The opera’s creative team includes composer Thomas B. Yee, librettist Aiden K. Feltkamp, director Heather Barfield, and music director Jacob Schnitzer. The vocal cast is composed of lead mezzo-soprano Page Stephens (Eva Mozes Kor), soprano Leah Hollingshead (Miriam Mozes, Dorothy), soprano Natalie Joy (Jaffa Mozes), tenor Rick Novak (Dr. Josef Mengele), and tenor Thomas Soto (Dr. Hans Münch) with art and design by Natalie George (lighting design), Eliot Haynes (projection design), Pam Friday (costume design), and Freddie Demps (set design).

Additional public programs include:
● Book Talk by Dr. Alex Kor, Eva’s surviving son, on Eva’s life, legacy, and memoir Surviving the Angel of Death: the Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz. The book talk will take place on Saturday, April 23 at 2:00 PM in the atrium of the Austin Central Library (710 W Cesar Chavez St.), providing a family-appropriate experience for Holocaust awareness and education that is suitable for all ages.

• Screenings of the 37-minute documentary Remembrance and Ritual: Reflections on Eva and the Angel of Death created by Density512 to contextualize the opera within our current world. Screenings will take place before each opera performance in the demonstration area of the Austin Central Library.

Admission is free and open to the public (with optional donation); advance ticket reservations are highly encouraged. Online streaming options available. Seating arrangements will observe the City of Austin’s COVID-19 best safety practices. Tickets can be reserved at https://www.density512.org/tickets/eva.

Sensitivity warning:

Eva and the Angel of Death carries a recommended minimum age of 12 years. Contents include: verbal descriptions of Holocaust atrocities and medical experimentations, scene suggesting medical experimentation, onstage panic attacks, episodes of depression and PTSD, major character death, parental death.

About Eva Mozes Kor:

In 1995, Eva Mozes Kor founded the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute, Indiana, with a mission to prevent prejudice and hatred through education about the Holocaust. Until her death on July 4, 2019, Kor was an active public speaker, community leader, champion of human rights, Holocaust awareness educator, and forgiveness advocate.

About Density512:

Density512 is a chamber orchestra and collective of brave and open musicians who connect audiences with contemporary music. We tell stories through imaginatively curated experiences, amplify the voices of groundbreaking and emerging artists, and cultivate interdisciplinary collaborations. For more information visit www.density512.org.

About The Austin Public Library:

The Austin Public Library provides knowledge, technology and inspiration to the Austin community. The library is a hub of books and education, a meeting place of minds and an incubator of ideas.

Sponsors and community partners:

Eva and the Angel of Death is presented in partnership with CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center; Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Commission; Austin Public Library; Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at The University of Texas at Austin; Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin; American Composers Forum; and with the generous support of individuals.