instruments large ensemble, electronics

scenographic light, sculptures and choreography Yoko Seyama

interdisciplinary coordinator and concept Christian Karlsen

commissioner NorrlandsOperan
New European Ensemble – Christian Karlsen, principal conductor and artistic director
Föreningen Kammarmusik NU with kind financial support of Swedish Arts Council

year of production 2012-14

movements

Scene A ”Praise of Shadows”;

Scene B ”Light”;

Scene C part 1 ”Spiral”;

    -”-     part 2 ”Intermezzo”;

    -”-     part 3 ”Comic”;

    -”-     part 4 ”Lyrical”

Scene E ”Sun instigation”.

duration 70‘

first performance
May 7th 2014,
Norrlandsoperan, Umeå
Jacob Kellermann; guitar.
Lars Karlin; trombone
New European Ensemble
Christian Karlsen, conductor
Arne Bock, sound engineer
Yoko Seyama, scenographic light, sculptures and choreography

publisher 

SVENSK MUSIK

work comments

How does blue sound? What is the timbre of yellow? The evening performance work Saiyah, which will have its world premiere at MADE, is a work created by conductor Christian Karlsen, multimedia artists Yoko Seyama and composer Benjamin Staern, in which music, colour and form is in constant harmony. A captivating interaction between music and mystical light sculptures in continuous movement. One of the starting points is Staern’s ability to associate music with colours, so-called synesthesia. ”It is like an opera, but without singers and lyrics. We want the visual and musical to have centre stage in order to create a bigger impression”, says Christian Karlsen.

reviews

”I en magnifik fusion av ljud, ljud och form som aktiverar alla sinnen blir verket i sig en appell för vikten av att skapa rum för den konst som rent fysiskt omsluter sin publik….tillsammans med medskaparna, multimediakonstnären Yoko Seyama och dirigenten Christian Karlsen, har ett oupphörligt fängslande verk skapats. Fritt från text och narrativ laddas de visuella och musikaliska momenten med en säregen energi som även i de mera stillsamma partierna tar sig in under huden.”

”In a magnificent fusion of sounds, sound and form that activates all the senses….together with co-creators , multimedia artist Yoko Seyama and conductor Christian Karlsen, has one continuous compelling work created. Free from text and narrative loaded the visual and musical moments with a peculiar energy that even the more calm parts that gets under your skin.”

Västerbottenkuriren, Sara Meidell May 8th 2014