First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World

Two years ago a conversation began on tour in Iowa. And it started with the question, “What should we do next?” After performing the acclaimed Universe of Dreams across the country for two years, NPR’s Neal Conan and Ensemble Galilei had developed confidence in their collaboration, and belief that their unique combination of visual images, music, poetry and text could animate an even more ambitious challenge.

Exploration. Discovery. Mankind’s hunger to know more, see more, and search out the most terrifying and audacious adventures. Why not? And why not engage the resources and guidance of the pre-eminent institution in the field? Meetings at the National Geographic Society followed, and from that dialogue First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World was created.

The musicians sit on stage right, Conan stands stage left. Between them a large screen rises from the stage filled with stunning photographs from the National Geographic Image Collection. Music swells as Conan reads compelling first person accounts of exploration and discovery, illustrated by maps, portraits and gorgeous pictures.

Ibn Battuta writes of his travels in 14th Century Iraq. George Mallory sends a letter home before he attempts the summit of Mount Everest. Charles Darwin confesses his doubts on a voyage that will change all of what we know, and sailors brave howling gales aboard a Cape Horn windjammer. Jacques Cousteau and William Beebe pioneer the technology that allows us to penetrate the vast, unknown expanses beneath the surface of the world’s oceans and seas; Robert Ballard describes the discovery of new forms of life in the eternal darkness of the Galapagos Rift.

The artwork, maps, and photographs are astonishing, all chosen from one of the most comprehensive and unique collections of photographs and original artwork in the world. The National Geographic Image Collection contains more than 10 million transparencies, black and white prints, early color photographs, pieces of original art, and some of the collection’s most thrilling pieces are included in this project.

All of this as the music of the Celtic Harp and fiddle, recorders, whistles, viola da gamba, and percussion evoke the mystery and sorrow, elation and hilarity of their journeys. Bach and Telemann. Traditional Scottish music and Swedish waltzes. Medieval dances and a solitary fiddle rising from the silence.

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