Limited screenings of award-winning 360-degree documentary on the Holocaust, taking place at Buhl Planetarium at Carnegie Science Center About this event This event is part of the LIGHT Education Initiative's partnership with UNESCO's "International Day of Light" We are proud to present the VR documentary By The Waters of Babylon, a story of composers who created hope in a time of darkness and a modern-day string quartet dedicated to shining a light on their legacy. This limited screening event is a collaboration between the filmmakers, The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, Chatham University and Point Park University. This project, made possible by The Heinz Endowments Small Arts Initiative, uses the medium of 360 video to take viewers on an immersive journey into the world of composers silenced by the Holocaust and a contemporary string quartet’s mission to bring this music to a wider audience. Viewers begin their experience situated in the center of the Clarion Quartet as they perform String Quartet #3 by Viktor Ullmann, a composer who suffered under Nazi oppression. By the Waters of Babylon then interweaves images of the past and the present as it tells the story of the “Entartete Musik” composers and the Clarion Quartet’s mission to shine light on music silenced by oppression. The Clarion Quartet is composed of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians who aim to give a voice to great composers who suffered the injustices of oppression. Their current repertoire features the work of composers who were detained in the Nazi camps yet continued to create beautiful, meaningful work. In 2016, during a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra European tour, the quartet arranged a performance at the Theresienstadt camp in the Czech Republic where some of the pieces they performed were originally composed. The quartet’s collective memory of this moving experience serves as the departure point for this project; their thoughts lead the viewer on a journey into the lives and works of these composers and the creation of art in the face of the darkest atrocities. About Tickets There are four screenings total; two on May 18, and two on May 31. The showings on May 18th will feature a VIP reception and cost $36. The showings on the 31st cost $15 and will include a limited number of free seats for Holocaust survivors and degree-seeking students in the Pittsburgh area with a valid student ID. An optional donation with all ticket types is also requested, and will be used to support the work of the Holocaust Center. Space is extremely limited, and registration is required in advance. COVID Requirements and Disclaimer All attendees will be required to be fully vaccinated. This means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. For those individuals who are not vaccinated, you will be required to obtain a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival at the event venue. Proof of vaccination or negative PCR test will be checked at the door. All attendees will also be required to wear high-quality masks, KN95 or comparable; this policy will be strictly enforced. Appropriate masks will be provided at the door if you do not have your own. Failure to abide by these guidelines will result in being turned away or removed from the event without a refund. We take the safety of each of our patrons very seriously. We reserve the right to modify these policies and procedures at any time given the rapidly changing nature of the current global pandemic. By attending an in-person event at any of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, you and any guests agree to voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold any presenting entities, artists, and the venue; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.