Full Description:

Produced by Performing Artservices, Inc. and presented by Interpretations and Roulette.

Iconoclast composer Robert Ashley revisits his opera, Concrete, with eight new songs. Each evening's performance features four solo songs (Portraits) about ordinary people who did extraordinary things for which they'll never be recognized, alternating with ensemble sections (Meditations) with short solos sung by Ashley (as The Observer).

Libretto, Music and Direction: Robert Ashley
Singers: Sam Ashley, Thomas Buckner, Jacqueline Humbert, Joan La Barbara and Robert Ashley
Electronic orchestra: Robert Ashley
Mixing and live electronics: Tom Hamilton

“Ashley celebrates language and questions its basic hold on truth or rational thought. His ultimate message may be that the language of music strikes deepest.”— The Los Angeles Times

“When the 21st century glances back to see where the future of opera came from, Ashley, like Monteverdi before him, is going to look like a radical new beginning.” — Kyle Gann, The Village Voice

“If James Joyce were alive today, he would probably be trying to write operas like Robert Ashley.” —The Wire

 

 

 

Full Description:

Produced by Performing Artservices, Inc. and presented by Interpretations and Roulette.

Iconoclast composer Robert Ashley revisits his opera, Concrete, with eight new songs. Each evening's performance features four solo songs (Portraits) about ordinary people who did extraordinary things for which they'll never be recognized, alternating with ensemble sections (Meditations) with short solos sung by Ashley (as The Observer).

Libretto, Music and Direction: Robert Ashley
Singers: Sam Ashley, Thomas Buckner, Jacqueline Humbert, Joan La Barbara and Robert Ashley
Electronic orchestra: Robert Ashley
Mixing and live electronics: Tom Hamilton

“Ashley celebrates language and questions its basic hold on truth or rational thought. His ultimate message may be that the language of music strikes deepest.”— The Los Angeles Times

“When the 21st century glances back to see where the future of opera came from, Ashley, like Monteverdi before him, is going to look like a radical new beginning.” — Kyle Gann, The Village Voice

“If James Joyce were alive today, he would probably be trying to write operas like Robert Ashley.” —The Wire

 

 

 

Full Description:

Produced by Performing Artservices, Inc. and presented by Interpretations and Roulette.

Iconoclast composer Robert Ashley revisits his opera, Concrete, with eight new songs. Each evening's performance features four solo songs (Portraits) about ordinary people who did extraordinary things for which they'll never be recognized, alternating with ensemble sections (Meditations) with short solos sung by Ashley (as The Observer).

Libretto, Music and Direction: Robert Ashley
Singers: Sam Ashley, Thomas Buckner, Jacqueline Humbert, Joan La Barbara and Robert Ashley
Electronic orchestra: Robert Ashley
Mixing and live electronics: Tom Hamilton

“Ashley celebrates language and questions its basic hold on truth or rational thought. His ultimate message may be that the language of music strikes deepest.”— The Los Angeles Times

“When the 21st century glances back to see where the future of opera came from, Ashley, like Monteverdi before him, is going to look like a radical new beginning.” — Kyle Gann, The Village Voice

“If James Joyce were alive today, he would probably be trying to write operas like Robert Ashley.” —The Wire

 

 

 

Full Description:

Produced by Performing Artservices, Inc. and presented by Interpretations and Roulette.

Iconoclast composer Robert Ashley revisits his opera, Concrete, with eight new songs. Each evening's performance features four solo songs (Portraits) about ordinary people who did extraordinary things for which they'll never be recognized, alternating with ensemble sections (Meditations) with short solos sung by Ashley (as The Observer).

Libretto, Music and Direction: Robert Ashley
Singers: Sam Ashley, Thomas Buckner, Jacqueline Humbert, Joan La Barbara and Robert Ashley
Electronic orchestra: Robert Ashley
Mixing and live electronics: Tom Hamilton

“Ashley celebrates language and questions its basic hold on truth or rational thought. His ultimate message may be that the language of music strikes deepest.”— The Los Angeles Times

“When the 21st century glances back to see where the future of opera came from, Ashley, like Monteverdi before him, is going to look like a radical new beginning.” — Kyle Gann, The Village Voice

“If James Joyce were alive today, he would probably be trying to write operas like Robert Ashley.” —The Wire

 

 

 

Full Description:

Two very different dramatic excursions into the theatrical side of contemporary music. Joan La Barbara and Ne(x)tworks will be performing excerpts from Angels, Demons and other Muses, her opera in-progress exploring inner secrets of the artistic mind. Inspired in part by the dreams of Joseph Cornell, intricate word turnings of Virginia Woolf, and psychological twists of Poe. With Kenji Bunch, Shelley Burgon, Yves Dharamraj, Cornelius Dufallo, Miguel Frasconi, Stephen Gosling, Ariana Kim, and Chris McIntyre. Yael Acher-Modiano (flute) and Irina Kalina-Goudeva (bass, and voice) present "Two - Walk", a multimedia electro-acoustic performance which incorporates also drama, and movement."

Full Description:

New excerpts from "Shimmer", an opera in-progress, composed and performed by Joan La Barbara.

Featuring video by Kurt Ralske

Live taping for Roulette TV

JOAN LA BARBARA's career as a composer/performer/sound artist has been devoted to exploring the human voice as a multi-faceted instrument, going far beyond traditional boundaries, creating works for multiple voices, chamber ensembles, music theater, orchestra and interactive technology. As an acknowledged pioneer in the field of contemporary classical music and soundart, she developed a unique vocabulary of experimental and extended vocal techniques, including multiphonics (the simultaneous sounding of two or more pitches), circular singing, ululation and glottal clicks that have become her "signature" sounds.

Full Description:

"Atmospheres" One of the pioneers of extended voice (she could have patented her multiphonics, circular singing, ululation, and glottal clicks). Myriad colors, textured sonic atmospheres, spinning shapes and sound paintings. Her past associations include Bruce Nauman, Steina and Woody Vasulka, Morton Subotnick, Robert Ashley, Philip Glass, Steve Reich and John Cage.