
BP
PORTRAITAND A
DREAM

An opera about the life, work,
and myth of Jackson Pollock
Director Ashley Tata
Conductor David Bloom
Design Magnus Pind
Music, Libretto Brian Petuch
Presented by Contemporaneous, this work is a novel take on the genre, incorporating never before released audio of recorded interviews provided by The Pollock-Krasner House, alongside poetry, and literary excerpts pertinent to Pollock's world.
PORTRAIT AND A DREAM PREMIERE
IRONDALE
85 SOUTH OXFORD St
BROOKLYN, NY
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18th 2021
8-11PM
PORTRAIT AND A DREAM PREVIEW EVENT
ARTS CENTER at DUCK CREEK
127 SQUAW ROAD
SPRINGS, EAST HAMPTON, NY
SATURDAY AUGUSt 7th 2021
5-7PM
ABOUT
Brian Petuch is a composer dedicated to expanding the boundaries of the concert hall, blending acoustic instruments, electronics, robotics, and recorded sounds into works that evoke raw emotion and explore the sublime. His music spans immersive installations, spatial compositions, and operas, aiming to create profound connections with audiences.
His opera Portrait and a Dream (2021), about the lives and works of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, reflects his signature approach: weaving organic and synthetic elements to sculpt striking emotional landscapes. Petuch’s work has been featured at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, MASS MoCA, and EMPAC, performed by ensembles including the Albany Symphony, Bang on a Can, and Contemporaneous.
At its core, Petuch’s music confronts audiences to engage deeply, experiencing the vast spectrum of human emotion and imagination. Current works in progress include a commission for pipe organ and electronics for organist Stephen Tharp, developing a videogame called Spiritus, building a robotic ensemble called MIDI Mécanique. Petuch is married to soprano Kendra Berentsen who is a major collaborative force and inspiration in his creative life. Berentsen is currently writing a libretto for their new evening-length multimedia opera based on Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.