All Over Albany

Aleda Or The Flight Of The Suff Bird Women

This is something a little different: the Musicians of Ma'alwyck is staging a production of a new one-act opera called Aleda Or The Flight Of The Suff Bird Women next weekend at the Glenville Business & Technology Park. Blurbage (link added):

Set in Staten Island in 1916, the opera tells the true story of a unique women's suffrage demonstration attempted by early female pilot Leda Richberg-Hornsby and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (N.A.W.S.A.). Equipped with a bi-plane, a cargo of votes-for-women petitions, and a huge banner reading "Women want liberty too," the suffragists endeavored to fly over New York Harbor during a national celebration at the Statue of Liberty in order to "bomb" President Woodrow Wilson with petitions. The elaborate plan ended in something of a fiasco as a gale of wind forced a premature crash-landing in a Staten Island swamp (luckily no one was hurt) - yet the attempt stands as a testimony to the courage and inventiveness (not to mention dramatic flare) of these women in their struggle for the right to vote. The presentation of the opera coincides with the 100th anniversary year of the passing of women suffrage in New York State.

The performance will open with "Burden of the Ballot," a one-act play taking place in May 1917 at Historic Cherry Hill in Albany. Hear both sides of the suffrage question through the hopes and fears of women living during this important movement in American history.

The performances are Friday-Sunday (June 8-10) at CLYNK in the business park. Tickets are $25 / $10 for students.

Preview
There's a free talk about the production, and a preview, this Sunday, June 3 at Siena's Sarazen Student Union at 5 pm.