Work » Projects » Chunky in Heat [scene selections] 2019
I was delighted to be one of six composers invited to participate in Experiment in Opera’s production of Chunky in Heat, based on a libretto by A. M. Homes. The organization and creative process of the production was extraordinary, and I was delighted to write the music for the dinner scene (scene 8) and the final movement of the production (scene 14).
Much of the inspiration for the work came directly from the libretto, with the goal of embracing a superficially and surreptitiously violent world in the dinner scene, and embracing a simplicity for the emotional aspects of the final movement. With the encouragement of Experiments in Opera, I also utilized cassette recorders to playback field recordings at the conclusion of the piece.
Working with director Alison Moritz and the Contemporaneous Ensemble under the direction of David Bloom was a true honor, as was the opportunity to hear the opera flow together with contributions from Jason Cady, Erin Rogers, Aaron Siegel, Shelley Washington, and Matthew Welch.
Chunky in Heat was premiered at The Flea Theater in New York in May 2019. Much of the music I wrote for this production was composed during a generous residency at Pocantico made possible by Composers Now.
