Edition No. 4
Inspired Thoughts is a collection of highly curated content that embraces the spirit and purpose of The War Memorial: arts and culture, community enrichment, leadership, and patriotism.
Derived from the notion that learning from others is the key to success, Inspired Thoughts is meant to shine a light on those making a difference in the world around them. This collection features artists, poets, writers, architects, and every thought leader in-between. Inspired Thoughts is the strongest reflection of what The War Memorial stands for, and what we aim to be.
The content featured on Inspired Thoughts is curated by War Memorial leadership — we also look forward to featuring special guest curators in the near future. If you are interested in providing content for Inspired Thoughts, please email our Community Engagement team at bhoste@warmemorial.org.
In this Edition
Arts and Culture
Looking ahead to this weekend’s Halloween festivities, we present a delightfully macabre short film featuring Franz Schubert’s Der Erlkönig.
Community and Family
A number of Detroit arts leaders and War Memorial partners have come together, forming theR.A.C.E.: Reestablishing Art as Civic Experience.
Our American Values
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address provides us with boundless inspiration; explore with us a related clip from the acclaimed PBS documentary, The Civil War.
A Macabre Musical Moment:
Franz Schubert’s Der Erlkönig (The Elf King)
In celebration of Halloween, we’ve selected two thrilling performances of Franz Schubert’s Der Erlkönig — a musical setting of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 1782 poem. The first, sung by tenor Daniel Norman with collaborative pianist Sholto Kynoch, is presented as a marvelous short film designed and directed by Jeremy Hamway-Bidgood. This production features stunning shadow puppet animation, lending a Tim Burton-esque quality to the already dramatic nature of Der Erlkönig.
Within Schubert’s vividly descriptive musical setting, Goethe’s Erlkönig tells the story of a young boy being carried by his father on horseback — only to be visited repeatedly by the malevolent Elf King, who attempts to lure the child into joining him. The boy becomes increasingly agitated, and the Elf King ever more nefarious in his methods.
Like so much of the classical repertoire, Der Erlkönig has been performed the world over, with far too many exceptional examples to name. That said, American soprano Jessye Norman delivered perhaps one of the most profound interpretations, with brilliant nuance, shading, emotion, and technique.
The New York Times music critic Edward Rothstein described Ms. Norman’s voice as a “grand mansion of sound…it has enormous dimensions, reaching backward and upward. It opens onto unexpected vistas. It contains sunlit rooms, narrow passageways, cavernous halls.”
Sadly, the world lost Jessye Norman in September 2019, but her artistic legacy — regal, inspiring, and truly world-changing — lives on.
theR.A.C.E.: Reestablishing Art as Civic Experience
As a community leader, The War Memorial is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of our peers working tirelessly in Detroit’s arts and cultural community. A number of our friends and partners have recently come together to form a new initiative — theR.A.C.E.: Reestablishing Art as Civic Experience. A community-driven, professionally-produced virtual and live experience that is part film, part theater, and part in-person festival, theR.A.C.E. explores what Detroiters have, want, and need from their city, state, and national leaders. The project incorporates three interlocking phases:
The people: conversations with communities about civic action and art, exploring people’s experiences and hopes around leadership
The show: four original performance pieces from Detroit theater directors, captured through the lens of a professional filmmaker and presented as virtual screenings; tickets are available for purchase
The Electoral Chaotic (November 3, 2020 at the Matrix Theatre): an opportunity to interact with art in a free, socially-distanced outdoor experience on Election Day; registration is required
theR.A.C.E. is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Michigan Humanities among others; their leadership includes partners of The War Memorial such as Opera MODO, Matrix Theatre Company, the Detroit Historical Society, and Kresge Arts in Detroit.
For more information, download a flyer here. If you’re interested in performing at The Electoral Chaotic, click here for additional information.
Call for Entries:
Veterans Day 2020: A Thankful Community
As we approach Veterans Day during a year unprecedented in its difficulties, The War Memorial looks to the wisdom of youth to help express our gratitude to the brave souls who have served in the United States armed forces. We are preparing a unique short film featuring Detroit-area youth, each offering a few seconds of thankfulness to heroes of the armed forces.
All school-aged children are invited to participate, whether by submitting a digital video or visiting The War Memorial during a prescheduled time to be filmed professionally. This moving video tribute will premiere on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020. Learn more and register to participate here.
In The War Memorial Gallery:
Soul Searching
Grosse Pointe Artists Association’s latest exhibition, Soul Searching, displays 41 juried pieces of work from 35 artists, who were asked to share art made during the COVID-19 pandemic. As anticipated, they were “soul searching,” savoring memories and preparing themselves for a bright future. Topics include racism, politics, and personal growth.
The show is currently open to the public from 2–7pm on Thursdays, running through December 17. Social distancing, facemasks, and other COVID-19 protocols are required; a virtual exhibition is available as well. To learn more and register to attend, click here.
Putting the Our American Values Initiative in Context
From Michael Montgomery, Fundraising Counsel at The War Memorial
In 2020, The War Memorial’s patriotic programming expanded to include curating educational offerings on American history and Our American Values. We want to be clear that Our American Values is in no way, shape, or form an abandonment of our traditional focus on honoring veterans and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is, rather, an expansion of that programming.
All who serve our nation first swear an oath to, “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.” As a result, we see understanding our Constitution — and the American values from which it sprang — as the first step to achieving the informed and reflective patriotism that truly honors those who served and properly remembers those who sacrificed. In this, Our American Values has been inspired and informed by Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address — especially its final stanza. The video clip below comes from Ken Burns’s PBS documentary, The Civil War. Through its exploration of the Gettysburg Address, this piece sets the stage for the exciting new addition to our programming.