Panel discussion as a part of the post-screening conversation. Pictured: Aliza Wong (AAR), Enrico Riley, Wissal Houbabi, Jonathan Berger, Vievee Francis, Benedicta Djumpah.
Ritual of Breath Project:
A Workshop Experience
In celebration of Black History Month 2025, the American Academy in Rome shared The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist as a presentation to an audience of scholars and activists from the Coordinamento Antirazzista Italiano followed by a panel discussion with the opera’s creative team. The team also led an interactive workshop inviting participants to respond to systemic injustice and to find healing through music, words and art.
The opera project was born as a collaboration between Dartmouth Professor of Studio Art Enrico Riley and Stanford Professor of Music Jonathan Berger while in residence at the American Academy during their Rome Prize Residency in 2016.
Creating a collage out of the individual drawn responses to the Ritual Activation workshop prompts with the art. Pictured: Enrico Riley
Vice Provost Barbara Will playing the Korean lute with Jen Shyu pictured
Pictured: Vievee Francis, Barbara Will
Drawing a response to the Ritual #1 Activation Workshop. Pictured: Trica Keaton, Mary Lou Aleskie.
After the workshop, activists and artists-in-residence at AAR gather in the Cryptoporticus.
Panel discussion as a part of the post-screening conversation. Pictured: Aliza Wong (AAR), Enrico Riley, Wissal Houbabi, Jonathan Berger, Vievee Francis, Benedicta Djumpah.
Pictured: Wissal Houbabi, Jonathan Berger, Mary Lou Aleskie
All Photos by Gerardo Gaetani
American Academy in Rome