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• 'Whetu-Rere' - The Sea Lion and the Comet  Year: 2007 

  Video
  

A music-theatre work especially written for Wellington pianist Dan Poynton. Although referring indirectly to religious symbolism, the composition focuses on the physical and mental stress that pianists submit themselves to.

• Body: 14 Stations; computer-set 

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• Jack Body: 14 Stations 

  Digital sound file - MP3
  

• Body: 14 Stations 

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• Body: 14 Stations; cassette 

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Our version of A Christmas Carol began as a glint in Russell Kerr’s eye. I remember a phone call from Russell in late 1988: “Philip – I think I’ve got an idea for a ballet that might work…”.

Two years later, A Christmas Carol opened in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch in a polished production by Southern Ballet, with Russell himself in the demanding dual roles of Scrooge and choreographer.

The success of the Southern Ballet’s presentation led to an unexpected invitation from Angela Gorton, then General Manager of Canterbury Opera.

“Would it be possible to convert the ballet into an opera?” Angela asked. “You’ve got to be joking” I remember thinking. “Yes, of course, no problems” I replied.

The temporary bout of insanity continued. I chose to write the libretto, as well as taking on the challenge of converting what was an electronic tape score into a 500-page manuscript for live orchestra and singers.

Thankfully, as it transpired, much of the original electronic score translated fairly readily into the different medium. At most, keys and speeds were altered, and occasional phrases tweaked to suit the range and breath requirements of the human performers. This left under half the ballet requiring either substantial revision or fresh material.

1993 disappeared in a blur of notes, rhyming couplets and spectral apparitions. One memory remains clear, and that is the thrill of seeing my labours brought to life in a gratifying premiere season of the opera by Canterbury Opera.

Someone once said ‘being a composer in New Zealand must be like being a bullfighter in Finland”. Certainly conventional wisdom has it that while a first performance of a new work is relatively easy to secure, opportunities for subsequent performances are as rare as a happy Wagnerian heroine.

Thus it was with relish and gratitude that I leapt upon the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s invitation to turn my opera score back into a ballet. This time, it was to be for humans to play, and a full orchestra no less. Oh joy oh bliss.

And it has given me the opportunity to use the wonderful line – I spent most of 2001 decomposing.

I feel enormously privileged to have the opportunity to work once again with Russell, Kristian, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and, of course, Charles Dickens.

Philip Norman
Composer
“A Christmas Carol”

Original music for the documentary Lands of Our Fathers – My African Legacy.

• Jonathan Besser: Lands of our Fathers - my African Legacy  Year: 2004 

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• McKenzie: Alice in Wonderland - a ballet suite; computer-set 

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• McKenzie: Alice in Wonderland; computer-set 

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• Music by Lachlan McKenzie 

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This interpretation of Bow Falls is a collaboration in accord with the Earthscore Notational System. This notation assumes that there are patterns in waterflow that can be communicated electronically. Video artist Paul Ryan uses handheld camerawork, slow motion, reverse motion and negative color fields to compose four movements in video. Using only non-sync sound recorded at the Falls, both at the surface and underwater, Annea Lockwood composed a sound study which engages in a play of differences with the video images. The work was co-produced with the Banff Art Center in 2003.

Paul Ryan is an artist, author and teacher whose video works have been presented at the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum and internationally. His program for a Hall of Risk in lower Manhattan appeared in the Venice Biennale. NASA published his Earthscore Notational System, on which Bow Falls draws.

• Annea Lockwood: Bow Falls 

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