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Oratorio for Living Things’ Opens at Signature to Strong Musical Notices

The revival, part of Heather Christian’s MacArthur residency, runs through November 16 at Signature Theatre.

Overview

  • Early reviews praise the work’s expansive, stylistically varied score and the conviction of its 12-singer ensemble supported by six instrumentalists.
  • Critics note that much of the text is in Latin and dense poetic language, with a QR-code libretto provided after the performance to aid comprehension.
  • Lee Sunday Evans’s in-the-round staging and the design team’s lighting, sound, and scenic environment are highlighted as integral to the piece’s impact.
  • Coverage differs on music leadership credits, with one review citing Jane Cardona conducting and others crediting Ben Moss as music director and co-conductor.
  • The Off-Broadway return follows the work’s acclaimed 2022 Ars Nova premiere and is now playing at Signature Center’s Romulus Linney Theater.