Viola (2015) 12'
Art song with live animation
Franz Schubert | composer
Franz von Schober | text
Lucy Fitz Gibbon | soprano
Ryan MacEvoy McCullough | piano
Anna Lindemann | animation
Erin Kaminski, Shobha Venkatraman, and Cindy Recinos | imagery and animation assistants
Premiere | A preview performance of Viola was presented at Creativity Convergence at the Benton Museum of Art at University of Connecticut, 29 March 2015
"Viola" was composed in 1823, towards the end of Schubert's life, and only published posthumously. The song, unique in its long-scale form, tells the story of a loyal Violet, frozen to death as she awaits the coming of her bridegroom, Spring. The music dramatizes the Violet adorning herself as a bride and eagerly hastening forth, only to face icy winds and uncertainty. The Violet's nonchalant flower sisters are blithely oblivious to her pain. This production was conceived by Lucy Fitz Gibbon, Anna Lindemann, and Ryan MacEvoy McCullough for voice, piano, and live animation. "Viola" is part of a concert-length program currently being developed by Lucy, Anna, and Ryan entitled "Intoning Time." The program will feature works for voice, piano, and live animation exploring biological time.
We acknowledge the generous support of the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Dean's Grant and the Office of the Vice President for Research in helping to make this project possible. Premiered and filmed at the Benton Museum of Art at the University of Connecticut, 29 March 2015.