The story of ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© has been recreated in popular culture for more than 2,000 years. But according to religious scholar Emil Homerin, itÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s only in the last two centuries that the character was transformed into a femme fatale. On Oct. 8-11, her evolving role in religion, society, and the arts will be explored in a two-day symposia and series of events titled The Veils of ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©, at both the University of Rochester and its Eastman School of Music.
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œOver time the character of ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© shifted from a young girl doing the bidding of her spiteful mother, to a threat to all that is holy, and eventually a vengeful femme fatale,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� said Homerin, professor of Religion at Rochester. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œBut whatever her identity, ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© has become a character whose sexuality and assertiveness threaten the identities and very lives of men.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�
Originally introduced in the Bible as a minor character who aids in the beheading of John the Baptist, ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© later became the focus of fascination for artists in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Their portraits of her dancing and holding a head on a platter influenced famed playwright Oscar Wilde to write ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½˜³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾±ð,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ which inspired a controversial one-act opera by composer Richard Strauss.
Funded by the UniversityÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s Humanities Project, the Veils of ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© features a talk with ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã© comic book artist P. Craig Russell, performances, a dance workshop based on ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s Dance of the Seven Veils (which first appeared in StraussÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ original opera), and an exhibition of images in the UniversityÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s Rare Books and Special Collections library in Rush Rhees.
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œFor the musical performances, we want to provide audiences with a live and interactive show unlike any other theyÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ve ever experienced,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� said Matthew Brown, professor of music theory at Eastman and founder of Table Top Opera, a chamber ensemble of Eastman faculty, alumni, and friends. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ replaces the singers and traditional symphony orchestra with a chamber ensemble of familiar and unfamiliar instruments, including saxophone, trumpet, percussion, piano, electric keyboard, violin, cello, and bass.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� The music is paired with illustrations from P. Craig Russell, which will be projected above the musicians during the performance, and a newly choreographed version of ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œDance of the Seven Veils.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�
Admission to the Oct. 8 performance of ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� in Kodak Hall at the Eastman School is $10, free to ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ faculty, students, and staff with valid University ID; admission to the Oct. 10 performance in the Interfaith Chapel on River Campus is free. A video trailer about ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� featuring illustrations from RussellÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s comic book, can be seen at .
Symposium talks are free and open to the public. For a detailed schedule of events, visit or contact Homerin at emil.homerin@rochester.edu.
