Opera of Objects
Vanessa Tomlinson, Grant Milliken, Erik Griswold · 2018
Research Background (including field, context and research question) Opera of Objects is a new co-composed work focussing on the sound and memories of objects. Linking in to the history of opera as musical storytelling with a focus on the voice, the work of Alvin Lucier in his Opera with Objects, and the history of found objects in the percussion tradition, this new work is a series of scenes that explore the inter-connectedness of objects and our sounding world. • Research Contribution This is a full concert length work that is significant for three main reasons; 1) it is a co-composition between 3 artist musicians. The working method, negotiations, structure and content of the work were all collaboratively devised over an 8 month period with the assistance of librettist/writer Craig Foltz. 2) The work pushed our individual improvisational practice to incorporate and understand the multi-modal (visual, aural and historical) power of these objects. 3) This is an unusual project in that it demanded from the compositional team that they compose, and perform - both musically and theatrically - the work they had constructed. This is inclusive of directing/staging the work. • Research Significance (evidence of excellence) The Opera of Objects was premiered at the Queensland Conservatorium Recital Hall as part of the Clocked Out In-Residence Series. This particular development was documented by 2 research assistants, and documented here by Tangible Media. Since this time the work has be taken up by Adelaide-based Soundstream for performance in September 2019, as is currently being reworked for a radioplay for German Radio. 2 articles are currently being written reflecting on the contribution of this work framed in the history of performance practice in Western Art music.