The Free Life a New Rock Opera by Dan Koontz

LTV Studios will host “The Free Life” a new rock opera on Thursday, September 21 at 7 p.m. The event is being held to honor Malcolm Brighton, Rodney Anderson and Pamela Brown who were the first balloonists to attempt crossing the Atlantic Ocean, which left from Springs, New York on September 20, 1970. The giant balloon went down in a storm off the coast of Newfoundland approximately 32 hours later. The Free Life and its youthful crew were never found. Hundreds of Band members include Dan Koontz, James Bernard, Sue Conklin, Fred Glide, Sara Mundy, Andrew Koontz and Steve Schaunessey. To purchase tickets, please visit https://bit.ly/3OAImRM or text LTVFREELIFE to 41444.

ABOUT THE FREE LIFE:

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in a field in Springs to witness Malcolm Brighton, Rodney Anderson and Pamela Brown in their attempt to be the first balloonists to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It was not to be. Some thirty-two hours later the giant balloon went down in a storm off the coast of Newfoundland. The Free Life and its youthful crew were never found. Please join us at LTV Studios for a rock opera inspired by this event 35 years ago.

ABOUT DAN KOONTZ

Composer Dan Koontz has been fascinated by the story of The Free Life ever since he first came across it a decade ago. A keyboardist and guitarist, Koontz has been making music on the East End since 1995. He plays with the premier Hamptons party band the Hoodoo Loungers and with his own family band Edna’s Kin, and appears frequently with several other East End performers. Fluent in a wide range of musical styles, Koontz holds degrees in music from both the Eastman School and from Stony Brook University and has been a church organist for over 25 years. He has written music for symphony orchestras and for funk bands, and he even plays tuba in the Sag Harbor Community Band. For this special performance, Dan is joined onstage by, among other professional musicians, his brother Andrew Koontz on violin.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Richards