2005 Rockefeller New Media Foundation Proposal
No Access Until
Permanent Link(s)
Collections
Other Titles
Author(s)
Abstract
First performed in 1927 at the height of the Weimar Republic, Ernst Krenek's opera "Jonny Spielt Auf' went down in history as a so-called 'jazz opera'. The narrative portrayed the story of a black musician who played in a hotel band that used music to lure the masses into a new era of social freedom and equality. With a New Media grant from the Rockefeller Foundation I envision expanding the 45-minute musical performance I am composing for Munich's Intermedium media arts festival into a full multi-media opera with live stage performance, a fourpiece jazz ensemble and innovative live video projections that interact with the performers. With funds from the grant, I will be able to purchase the specialized technical equipment necessary for presenting the opera in traditional theaters that have hosted my current piece, Rebirth of a Nation, which is touring internationally through Spring 2005.