Wild up narrated by Christopher Rountree
On May 9, Wild Up returns to CAP UCLA for an evening that blurs the boundaries between opera, ritual and live concert experience.
Centered around selections from Perfect Lives by Robert Ashley, the performance brings “The Park” and “The Backyard” to life with narration by Wild Up’s artistic director, Christopher Rountree. Ashley’s hypnotic text drifts through themes of memory and reincarnation, unfolding like a surreal American myth.
“Ashley was an experimental opera maker who often spoke in his own works,” says Christopher Rountree. “It’s a piece that is simultaneously flat and without drama, yet somehow deeply poetic.”
The evening expands outward from there. A dreamlike first half gives way to an improvised Hindustani raga segment, featuring santoor and tabla artists Kamaljeet and Jas Ahluwalia, joined by cellist Chris Votek. Together, they weave ancient rhythmic traditions into a contemporary sonic landscape.
Known for crafting immersive, thought-provoking performances, Wild Up treats music as a catalyst for shared experience — creating space for connection, curiosity and transformation.
“You can expect something curious and that inspires curiosity,” says Rountree. “Meeting in new contexts, lots of friendly faces and excellent musicianship.”