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The Paper Nautilus

for soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 pianos and percussion
Texts by Etel Adnan, Marie Curie, Jackie Kay, Leo XIII and from the Bible
soprano, mezzo soprano, 2 pianos and percussion
The aim was to create a stage work out of this fully-fledged musical piece through visual work combining lighting, new technology, movement and design. All parts of The Paper Nautilus draw on material related to either the sea, or to the feeling of awe at the wonder of science – from both past and contemporary sources. Gavin Bryars
Edition: Performance material

Product Details

Description

The deep sea makes up 80% of our planet whilst land only equates to 0/5% and yet the deep sea is the least known part of the world. More people have travelled into space than into the depths of the sea. The Paper Nautilus is the result of a collaboration between Gavin Bryars and the visionary theatre director Cathie Boyd and her Theatre Cryptic. The work is based on an earlier cantata, Effarine (1984), which grew out of a collaboration with another visionary of the theatre, Robert Wilson, and which draws on material related either to the sea, or to the sense of scientific wonder. The television series Blue Planet was an inspiration to further research, and in order to take the work beyond the three extant sections of the cantata Theatre Cryptic commissioned new poems from Jackie Kay, taking ideas from these resources. The composer also added short Biblical texts in Latin and English.
The instrumentation of the work comes from that of the original cantata, which was itself conditioned by the fact that it was to be a companion piece for Antheil’s Ballet Mécanique, but with two instead of four pianos. The two voices sing alternate sections, though often coming together to form duets or with one accompanying the other. At the end they sing quietly in unison as the instrumental ensemble moves through the coda, ending with the very literal use of the water gong in the last bars. (based on the composer’s note for the world première)

Orchestral Cast

6perc(glsp, vib, crot, 2mar, bass mar, steel drum, tub bells, 2tri, 4sus cym, 2sizz cym, ride cym, 7gongs [plus water tank], 2tam-t, 2bell tree, 3mark tree, cabaça, chocolo, 2b.d, 4timp, maracs)-2pno

Content

I La Science
II La Reine de la Mer
III Ars Photographica
IV De profundis maris
V The sea mysteries
VI Where there is light
VII Vertical migration
VIII The Angler's Song
IX Where there is no light
X La Reine de la Mer

More Information

Title:
The Paper Nautilus
for soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 pianos and percussion
Texts by Etel Adnan, Marie Curie, Jackie Kay, Leo XIII and from the Bible
Language:
French, Latin, English
Edition:
Performance material
Publisher/Label:
Schott Music
Year of composition:
2006
Duration:
80 ′
World Premiere:
November 2, 2006 · Glasgow (UK)
The Tramway Theatre
Angela Tunstall, soprano; Alexandra Gibson, mezzo-soprano; Paragon Ensemble · Conductor: Garry Walker
Original staging: Cathie Boyd · Costumes: Pippa Nissen · Set design: Pippa Nissen · Choreography: Hiroaki Umeda
Organizer: Theatre Cryptic/Paragon Ensemble co-production, in association with Tramway, Glasgow, and LUX biotechnology, Edinburgh
(scenic) (scenic performance)
Commissioned work :
Commissioned by Theatre Cryptic with financial support from the Scottish Arts Council and the PRS Foundation

Technical Details

Product number:
LSL 10088-01

Performances

Set Ascending Direction
  • The Paper Nautilus
    September 9, 2012 | Long Beach, CA (United States of America) , Aquarium of the Pacific
    20.00 h
  • The Paper Nautilus
    September 8, 2012 | Long Beach, CA (United States of America) , Aquarium of the Pacific
    20.00 h
  • The Paper Nautilus
    September 7, 2012 | Long Beach, CA (United States of America) , Aquarium of the Pacific — National Premiere
    20.00 h
  • The Paper Nautilus
    Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2006
    Conductor: Garry Walker
    November 17, 2006 | Huddersfield (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) , Lawrence Batley Theatre
  • The Paper Nautilus
    Conductor: Garry Walker
    November 4, 2006 | Glasgow (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) , The Tramway Theatre
    20.00 h
  • Set Ascending Direction

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