An aria from the opera Bildbeschreibung for bass flute (2016)
Composer’s note
The musical backbone of the opera Bildbeschreibung lies in the relationships between the instruments, which are treated as soloists; their parts are based on the performers’ creation of layers of sound – understood not only as an exploration of their own instrument, but above all as a presentation or sonic representation of the text. The point is that each of these voices creates a space for „describing the image”, that is, it is intended to lead the listener to ask questions: what came before? How did it happen?
The multitude and ambiguity of these – albeit speculative – conjectures yield an open catalogue of imaginings. Since it is open, it is impossible to specify a number of associations that would be „correct” – too many or too few. Quite simply, the larger whole, viewed from the perspective of a single soloist or through the prism of a single aria, justifies the presentation of the idea of Bildbeschreibung in the same way that any image can be viewed or analysed by starting with a single detail, a motif or a single figure. This aria is therefore not an exception, akin to the showstoppers of classical opera history. It is a lens which – as is the case throughout the entire opera Bildbeschreibung – focuses attention on a selected detail, whilst the soloist, lacking the luxury of presenting themselves against the backdrop of the entire event, tempts the listener from the very first second to ponder the origins of Bildbeschreibung.
— Agata Zubel
More materials
Composer’s commentary
Contemporary playing techniques
Composer
Agata Zubel
Composer and singer. Known for her unconventional vocal range and for using it in ways that challenge stereotypes. She performs all over the world and has many world premieres to her credit. In addition to dozens of concert halls, opera houses and festivals, she has collaborated as a singer and composer with leading musical institutions around the world, including: Carnegie Hall in New York, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Musikgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Philharmonie in Berlin, Cologne and Luxembourg, the Casa da Música in Porto, the Seattle Symphony, the Chicago Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony. She has also appeared at festivals including the BBC Proms, Wien Modern, Donaueschingen Musiktage, Festival d’Automne à Paris, März Musik, the Darmstadt Summer Course, Ultraschall, the Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik, the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Trans Art, Warsaw Autumn, the Beethoven Festival in Bonn and Musikprotokoll.
