Pioneer PBS and Southwest Minnesota State University will be co-hosting a screening of “Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death” at SMSU on Wednesday, May 10 at 5 p.m. SMSU is located at 1501 State St. in Marshall and the event will take place at the Conference Center’s Upper Ballroom located on the south side of campus. The event is free and open to the public.

This half-hour documentary takes viewers on a breathtaking trip to Reykjavik, Iceland. The film centers around a project led by Dr. Daniel Rieppel, professor of music at SMSU, to pair the work of one of Minnesota’s most iconic poets and essayists, the late Bill Holm, to music. The film concludes with a performance where Holm’s epic poem cycle, “Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death,” is set to music composed by Martha Helen Schmidt and sung by Southwest Minnesota State University graduate and opera singer Ryan Hugh Ross.

The event will include a screening of “Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death” along with a panel discussion with the filmmakers and Dr. Rieppel. Refreshments will be provided. RSVP is requested so adequate seating can be arranged. Please RSVP by visiting pioneer.org or by calling Pioneer PBS at 1-800-726-3178.