OPERA OF THINGS [2019]

The title of this work alludes to the concept of the ‘Internet of Things’, which involves extending internet connectivity beyond standard devices into any range of common objects, such as a lamp or thermostat. Veličković’s Opera of Things extends the concept of the voice beyond its conventional connection to animate beings. She is interested in producing sounds triggered by the electromagnetic fields of everyday electronic devices, thus giving them a ‘voice’.

Opera of Things is presented in Post-Opera exhibition in two forms: as a three-part sound installation including the Velicon, an instrument invented by Veličković; and as a live music-theatre experience performed during several occasions.



OPERA OF THINGS AS A THREE_PART SOUND INSTALLATION:


At different times the installation performs an ‘intervention’ in the exhibition with three short compositions, referring to elements in opera: there is an aria, ‘Beauty 3.2 Volts’; a duet ‘Diva and the Beast’; and a female quartet ‘Ophelia’. The ‘voices’ we hear are invoked from the objects on display – two groups of power adapters and a Velicon.

Beauty 3.2V - adapter aria

Diva and the Beast - velicon duet

Ophelia - castrati adapters quartet

OPERA OF THINGS AS A LIVE MUSIC-THEATRE PERFORMANCE:


Opera of Things for velicon, voice, 3 power banks, 2 ventilators, plasma lamp, 4 adapters, remote control, virtual keyboard and bat detector is a composition for solo performer focused on movement, proximity and reanimation. Aimed at things that are already there rather than creating new, Opera of Things drugs us into the electromagnetic field where the interference and magnetic field become the foreground sound. Composer Jasna Veličković leads a coil over the magnets, triggering the magnetic fields to produce their ‘voice’. Going back to the roots using coils, magnets and devices, all the sounds are produced live without computer. Duration, loudness, speed and colour can be controlled by changing the position of the coils around the magnets/objects or by changing the speed and intensity of the physical touch while moving the magnets/objects. It sounds at the same time familiar and new.

Click here for the link of the video documentation.



Dates:

Post-Opera exhibition 19.04-30.06.2019 TENT Rotterdam

Opera of Things live music-theatre performances:
Sunday 19 May, 16:00 at TENT, Rotterdam.
Friday 24 May, 17:00 and 19:00 t TENT Rotterdam.
Wednesday 19 June, 17:00 at TENT Rotterdam.


Live performances, independently of the Post-Opera exhibition context:

ATM FESTIVAL - 29 November 2019, 21:00 at OilTank, Seoul (KR).
Audioblast Festival - 21 February 2020, 20:30 at Les Ateliers de bitch, Nantes (FR).
Beast Festival - 1 May 2020, tba, Birmingham (UK).