Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

In this work, I've attempted to create a Richard Strauss-esque mad scene for such a small ensemble. Text by Oscar Wilde.

In doing so, the musical material is quite disjointed, dramatic and extreme, and so requires a dramatic bravado from the trio to create diverse and musical extremes.

The soprano is often required to sing freely in her own time. In these sections the soprano should aim to be as seductive and coquettish as possible, using the text to entice and seduce the audience into her madness.

Any sections marked with repeat lines and an arrow are to be repeated in the performers own time, generally independent of the other lines unless marked. Generally each gesture should have a slight breath between each repartition.

Work Details

Year: 2015

Instrumentation: Soprano voice, flute, harp.

Duration: 9 min.

Difficulty: Advanced — Advanced vocal performance, extended techniques for harp and flute.

Dedication note: Dedicated to Igor Mihajlovic

Commission note: Commissioned by SoundScape New Music Festival for Cochlea Duo

First performance: 2015. SoundScape New Music Festival, Maccagno, Italy

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc in relation to this work:
Oscar Wilde, Richard Strauss, Vocal Music, Opera, Dramatic, Operatic Scene.