It’s not often that you get to hear "a concert-length a cappella opera that recounts the creation story of the ancient Zoroastrians" — while you watch the sun set over the Olympics."Haptadâmã: The Seven Creations of Ancient Persia" by Seattle composer Eric Banks was premiered in the pavilion at Olympic Sculpture Park Friday evening, and the magnificence of the setting was equaled by the grandeur of the piece. The concert repeats again tonight. While not every element sounded note-perfect, its ambitious scope and musical variety made it well worth catching.
Banks has led the Esoterics, the performers of the piece, since 1992. The vocal ensemble has recorded 10 CDs and won the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming four times since 2001.
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