Parallax (2021)

Whose opinion really matters?

PARALLAX (2021) is a song cycle/monodrama for soprano and ensemble, based on a libretto by Yuri Robbers and Eleanor Barlow. In 14 songs a presentation is given by someone who believes the earth is flat and wants to confirm her beliefs by launching herself from the earth’s surface. During this piece she tries to convince and convert the audience of her beliefs, using a plethora of methods at her disposal. The ensemble, consisting of piano, flute, clarinet, violin and cello, extended with percussion instruments and a toy piano, functions as her entourage. In various segments they too discuss, shout and comment on everything that happens on stage.

The music shifts in tone and style per song, but is held together by recurring motives and chord progressions, symbolising the circular reasoning patterns of the protagonist. The more the piece progresses, the more the construction falls apart, moment by moment, symbolising the realisation of the protagonist that the audience might not be with her, but is against her, resulting in a final outburst in the last song.