"Apparition of the Eternal Church"

Pianist Bruce Levingston, whose Lincoln Center concert many of you attended earlier this year, has been involved in a fascinating project, Paul Festa's film, "Apparition of the Eternal Church." Bruce calls the film, which documents reactions to an organ score by French composer Olivier Messiaen, both touching and hilarious. 

Paul Festa's new film "Apparition of the Eternal Church," has already garnered a number of awards. However, the showing on November 9th at St. Bartholomew's Church will be the official New York City Premiere (show-time is at 7:30 pm at St. Bart's located at Park avenue and 51st Street with a concert prelude of classical guitar music performed by Adam Tully beginning one half hour before the show). Immediately following the film, the brilliant organist William Trafka will play a live performance of  the Messiaen work on the St. Bart's organ which is one of the largest and greatest pipe organs in the country. Then there will be a 20 minute panel discussion with the director and many of the participants in the film. Tickets are $10, $20, $35, and $100 and anyone purchasing a ticket for $35 and above will receive a free year's subscription to New York Magazine and an invitation to a reception sponsored after the showing with the director and cast. Please call 212-378-0248 to order or reserve tickets.

What was your role in bringing about the film premiere and the live performance?
Dan Nuxoll, one of the founders of a wonderful New York organization called Rooftop Films, sent me Paul Festa's  documentary, a film  based on the reactions of people hearing an organ score by the great French composer Olivier Messiaen. When I saw the 50 minute film I was so blown away I immediately watched it a second time to see if I would have the same reaction to the first viewing. I did. It is one of the most powerful and touching tributes to the transcendental power of music and
art. It is also one the most hilarious films I've ever seen. Paul Festa, who attended both Yale and Juilliard, was so taken with Messiaen's great organ masterpiece Apparition of the Church he decided
to film people listening to the 10 minute work and have them comment on it while they listened. The drop-dead reactions the music evokes from such distinctly different and articulate characters as Harold Bloom,  John Cameron Mitchell, Lemony Snicket, Ana Matronic, Sandi Dubowski, Albert Fuller, Ron Gallman, Justin Bond as "Kiki," and many other wonderful figures is just astounding. Some people are transported by the music, some disgusted, some moved to tears, but all seem changed in some kind of profound way.

What’s your favorite part of the film?
Well there are several parts that really got to me, but I think the penultimate scene which is an interview with Albert Fuller, the musician who actually gave one of the North American premieres of the Messiaen piece almost 50 years ago, is probably my favorite part. It is joyous, emotional and reflective and reveals as much as any moment in the film what music and art can mean to us in life.

Has your work been influenced by Olivier Messiaen?
Yes. I've performed a number of his beautiful works for the piano. He often filled his pieces with actual transcriptions of birdsong. Messiaen possessed a deep sense of spirituality and felt birdsong was
the singing of angels on earth. His ability to incorporate those magical sounds in his music changed the way I hear both music and nature itself. He helped awaken my soul.