|
In the fall of 2004, I was laying the groundwork for what would be a residency at the Bridge Inc., a day-home for people living with severe and debilitating mental illness. I spent several hours a week becoming familiar with the surroundings, getting to know doctors and resident patients and also attending a weekly on-site poetry group. During this time, I was approached by opera director, Peter Sellars, to create a film of projected stills for an upcoming production of Kafka Fragments at Carnegie Hall. The work is an hour-long setting of aphoristic lines drawn from the writer's letters and diaries and composed for solo soprano and violin by the Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag. I introduced the libretto at the Bridge poetry workshop where it was read aloud and discussed. Soon after the group and I began to stage and photograph scenes and tableaus for each of the 40 fragments. The project, which involved four months of intensive work, had its debut at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 10, 2005.
DAWN UPSHAW, Soprano
GEOFF NUTTALL, Violin
PETER SELLARS, Director
DAVID MICHALEK, Film
JIM INGALLS, Lighting
DIANE J. MALECKI, Producer
|
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
Fragment 4: Aus Einem Alten Notizbuch
Jetzt am Abend, nachdem ich von sechs Uhr früh an gelernt habe, bemerkte ich, wie meine linke Hand die Rechte schon ein Weilchen lang aus Mitleid bei den Fingern umfaßt hielt.
Fragment 4: From an Old Notebook
Now in the evening, having studied since six in the morning, I notice that my left hand has for some time been gripping the fingers of my right in commiseration. |
|
|
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
Fragment 12: Meine Ohrmuschel...
Meine Ohrmuschel fühlte sich frisch, rauch, kühl, saftig an wie ein Blatt.
Fragment 12: My Ear...
My ear felt fresh to the touch, rough, cool, juicy, like a leaf. |
|
|
|
  |
|
  |
|
  |
|
Fragment 15: Zwei Spazierstöcke
(Authentisch-plagal)
Auf Balzacs Spazierstockgriff: Ich breche alle Hindernisse.
Auf meinem: Mich brechen alle Hindernisse.
Gemeinsam ist das "alle."
Fragment 15: Two Walking Sticks
(Authentic-plagal)
On the stock of Balzac's walking stick: "I surmount all obstacles."
On mine: "All obstacles surmount me."
They have that "all" in common. |
|
|
|
| Click here to see this project's performance. |
|
