Each robot now begins a complete transformation into its human character. There is a download of information including fragments of personality and memories. One by one, the human characters emerge from the robots, ready to enact the drama: Video production by Paula Aguilera and Jonathan Williams To be continued... Death and the Powers Preview Series …
Preview Series: Prologue
Approaching a new piece of music, especially one as complex as an opera, is an imposing challenge for the audience. There is almost too much to take in - the story, music, language, the action and staging. Most audience members will feel as though they have barely grazed the surface the first time they see …
Interview with James Maddalena (Simon Powers)
Baritone James Maddalena chats about his role as Simon Powers in the new opera Death and the Powers. He describes the character of Powers. At the end of Scene Two, "he goes completely digital. He leaves his body behind and goes into the system." Maddalena vanishes from the set and sings from an off-stage location …
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Tod Machover speaking in Chicago this week
The Chicago Opera Theater, which is presenting performances of Death and the Powers in April at Chicago's Harris Theater, has organized two panel discussions this week in Chicago with the opera's composer Tod Machover. Here's the scoop: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 4:00 p.m. ITW Classroom, Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center 2133 Sheridan Road, Evanston …
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FAST Music|Machines Videos
Windscreen by Meejin YoonExcellent videos have now been posted from the FAST Music|Machines event covering 50 years of music and technology at M.I.T. All of the videos from this landmark conference are available at MIT Tech TV. Some highlights:FAST Music | MACHINES: Music, Mind and Meaning - Marvin Minsky with Teresa Marrin, Michael Hawley and …
Variety magazine features Hyperinstruments
Variety, the venerable entertainment trade mag (Variety is in/famous for coining zippy industry lingo), has a story today about composer Tod Machover's hyperinstruments. In Smart instruments: Musician's tools play along with you, reporter David S. Cohen writes: "Ever since the invention of electric amplification, there's been tension in the music world -- a perpetual stare-down …
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Discounted student tickets for Death and the Powers
Discounted tickets for students are now available for the US premiere of Tod Machover's robotic opera, Death and the Powers. Performances are on March 18, 20, 22, and 25 at the Cutler Majestic Theater, Boston. Full-time students with valid student ID can purchase one student ticket in advance for $25. These are available by phone …
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50 years of music and technology at M.I.T.
Yesterday's event, Music|Machines: Celebrating 50 Years of Music & Technology @ MIT, was a great success. The all-day program of talks, discussions and evening concert featured some giants of the past half-century of music and technology and attracted an overflow crowd to the M.I.T. Media Lab. The day-time talks were webcast live. Videos of those …
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Q&A with Tod Machover – “What are you working on now?”
Here are the final questions from New Vilna Review Editor Daniel Levenson's recent interview with composer Tod Machover: NVR: Can you give us a little glimpse of what you might be working on right now? TM: Whenever I finish a project as large and involving as Death and the Powers (which took me about 10 …
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Tod Machover on NPR’s Morning Edition
Tod Machover was interviewed today on NPR's Morning Edition. Tod speaks with host Bob Oakes about Music|Machines, an all-day event that will be held tomorrow (February 5, 2011) at the M.I.T. Media Laboratory. The event features lectures and discussions by such electronic music pioneers and thinkers as Max Mathews, Barry Vercoe, Marvin Minsky, Joe Paradiso, …
Opera of the Future 