By Ken Keuffel, Journal Reporter 

REVIEW

Ellis Island: The Dream of America is a dream of a piece, honoring the immigrant experience with a compelling combination of music, narration and photography.

The multimedia work, written by Peter Boyer in 2002, celebrates the stories of seven immigrants who passed through Ellis Island beginning in the early parts of the past century. It has become one of the most popular contemporary pieces in the symphonic repertoire, having been performed by more than 40 orchestras.

Yesterday, the Winston-Salem Symphony joined the list. The ensemble, conducted by Robert Moody at the Stevens Center, was joined by five fine actors from the N.C. School of the Arts, who told the stories of the immigrants. The actors were Crystal Arnette, Lindsay Atwood, Ben Yannette, Danny Yoerges and Christy Young. Each, dressed in haggard-looking period street clothes, read their parts with genuine feeling and conviction. It was impossible not to feel moved—or impressed, especially with their command of accents.

Images of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were projected in the background during the piece’s epilogue and prologue. It also featured a moving recitation of Emma Lazarus’ poem The New Colossus, famous for such lines as “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

The spoken texts for Ellis Island, also compiled by Boyer, have their origins in the Ellis Island Oral History Project, which recorded interviews with more than 2,000 of the 12 million people who passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.

The stories reacquaint us with why the immigrants left (reasons ranged from poverty to religious persecution); how long and arduous the journey by ship was; and how harrowing the ordeal could be once the immigrants made it to New York Harbor.

Admission to the United States was not guaranteed. People could be sent back for any number of reasons.

Boyer’s music is in a very tonal, accessible style. Each note perfectly suits the situation at hand. Often, there is a moment of triumph—as when, for example, an immigrant rejoices at seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, or at reuniting with a family member after a long separation. But Boyer can do more than write uplifting sounds. He is also gifted at capturing a range of personalities.

The rest of the program, called “Heroes and the American Dream,” featured an excellent performance of another heroic work, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”). Everything about it worked, from Moody’s fine pacing to the superlative solo work of oboist John Ellis.

Yesterday’s performance included a salute to the late John Iuele, a former music director of the symphony.