Flat Earth Society at

Museum of the Moving Image Presents
Flat Earth Society Accompanies Ernst Lubitsch's The Oyster Princess
Friday, May 20, 8:00 p.m.

Dir. Ernst Lubitsch. 1919, 63 mins. Digital projection. With Ossi Oswalda. The celebrated Belgian 15-piece big band Flat Earth Society, known throughout Europe for their raucously playful jazz style, will present the U.S. premiere of composer Peter Vermeersch’s score for Ernst Lubitsch’s film comedy about an American seafood tycoon trying to find a royal husband for his daughter. A stylistic leap forward for Lubitsch from his early slapstick to the visual sophistication he would become famous for, The Oyster Princess is a satire of capitalism and royalism that takes place on extravagant sets described by Dave Kehr as being “posed somewhere between Expressionism and Futurism.” The Guardian described the music as “twisting rapidly from theatrical bombast to tenderness, collective improv, mad movie-chase music and back to swinging anthems.” The group will also present excerpts from their latest project, Hearsee, an ever-mutating audiovisual montage of composed and improvised music accompanying archival film clips. ...

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Museum of the Moving Image Presents
Flat Earth Society Accompanies Ernst Lubitsch's The Oyster Princess
Friday, May 20, 8:00 p.m.

Dir. Ernst Lubitsch. 1919, 63 mins. Digital projection. With Ossi Oswalda. The celebrated Belgian 15-piece big band Flat Earth Society, known throughout Europe for their raucously playful jazz style, will present the U.S. premiere of composer Peter Vermeersch’s score for Ernst Lubitsch’s film comedy about an American seafood tycoon trying to find a royal husband for his daughter. A stylistic leap forward for Lubitsch from his early slapstick to the visual sophistication he would become famous for, The Oyster Princess is a satire of capitalism and royalism that takes place on extravagant sets described by Dave Kehr as being “posed somewhere between Expressionism and Futurism.” The Guardian described the music as “twisting rapidly from theatrical bombast to tenderness, collective improv, mad movie-chase music and back to swinging anthems.” The group will also present excerpts from their latest project, Hearsee, an ever-mutating audiovisual montage of composed and improvised music accompanying archival film clips.

Flat Earth Society: Peter Vermeersch (composer), Stefaan Blancke (trombone), Benjamin Boutreur (alto sax), Berlinde Deman (tuba), Luc Van Lieshout (trumpet), Bart Maris (trumpet), Michael Mast (tenor sax), Marc Meeuwissen (trombone), Kristof Roseeuw (double bass), Bruno Vansina (alto and baritone sax), Peter Vandenberghe (piano and keyboards), Teun Verbruggen (percussion), Pierre Vervloesem (guitar), Wim Willaert (accordion and keyboards), Tom Wouters (clarinet, vibraphone, vocals).

Tickets: $15 public / $10 Museum members / Free for Silver Screen members and above. Members may reserve tickets in advance by calling 718 777 6800. Advance online sales will be available until noon on the day of the event. Following this, tickets will be available at the door.

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