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This recording of Alastair White’s ‘fashion-opera’ ROBE features the original cast from the premiere performance as part of Tête-à-Tête, London in 2019. The unique concept employs only four female singers with flute and piano, but also dancers and actors, in this futuristic drama. The work was shortlisted for the Creative Edinburgh Award and described as “striking and evocative” (Planet Hugill)
In a society where the difference between the real and the virtual is no longer meaningful, a powerful new being threatens the stability which holds these worlds together. Two elders, Neachneohain and Beira, convince the young cartographer Rowan to complete a terrible task: descend into the mind of the superintelligence EDINBURGH and map this creature so as to grant its desire – to become a living city, teeming with human life and activity. Witnessing visions of the awful realness of life beyond cyberspace, Rowan agrees – plunging into its depths: a strange, abstract world of data and dream.
Thirty years later, Rowan and EDINBURGH have fallen in love, have lived their lives together. Though every morning she awakes with no memory of the past, Rowan has almost completed the map that EDINBURGH desires. But into this map Rowan has woven something else: something hidden, silent, unsaid. As these rifts in the structure undo causality itself, she must answer the question: what exactly has she created? And what does it have to do with this strange, otherworldly figure who sings the red song of a forgotten city – of an ancient, poisoned ROBE…
FULL LIBRETTO IN BOOKLET
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Alastair White (b.1988):
- ROBE: I. Beira’s Warning (4:19)
- ROBE: II. Song of Redness (4:17)
- ROBE: III. Neachneohain’s Speech (7:46)
- ROBE: IV. Rowan’s First Answer (1:01)
- ROBE: V. Song of Silk (3:44)
- ROBE: VI. Duet (0:48)
- ROBE: VII. Beira’s Speech (3:32)
- ROBE: VIII. Rowan’s Second Answer (0:49)
- ROBE: IX. Song of Heather (2:47)
- ROBE: X. Rowan’s Vision (2:40)
- ROBE: XI. Song of Sandstone (1:27)
- ROBE: XII. Neachneohain’s Vision (1:38)
- ROBE: XIII. The Arming of Rowan; The History of the World (3:37)
- ROBE: XIV. Song of Morning (0:50)
- ROBE: XV. EDINBURGH Awakes; Rowan Descends (5:15)
- ROBE: XVI. A Dream of Q-el’s City; Wake up, Rowan (1:31)
- ROBE: XVII. Rowan and EDINBURGH (6:41)
- ROBE: XVIII. Anthem (4:03)
- ROBE: XIX. Beira’s Vision (6:59)
- ROBE: XX. Epilogue (2:07)
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0:00
01
ROBE: I. Beira's Warning (4:19)
02
ROBE: II. Song of Redness (4:17)
03
ROBE: III. Neachneohain's Speech (7:46)
04
ROBE: IV. Rowan's First Answer (1:01)
05
ROBE: V. Song of Silk (3:44)
06
ROBE: VI. Duet (0:48)
07
ROBE: VII. Beira's Speech (3:32)
08
ROBE: VIII. Rowan's Second Answer (0:49)
09
ROBE: IX. Song of Heather (2:47)
10
ROBE: X. Rowan's Vision (2:40)
11
ROBE: XI. Song of Sandstone (1:27)
12
ROBE: XII. Neachneohain's Vision (1:38)
13
ROBE: XIII. The Arming of Rowan; The History of the World (3:37)
14
ROBE: XIV. Song of Morning (0:50)
15
ROBE: XV. EDINBURGH Awakes; Rowan Descends (5:15)
16
ROBE: XVI. A Dream of Q-el's City; Wake up, Rowan (1:31)
17
ROBE: XVII. Rowan and EDINBURGH (6:41)
18
ROBE: XVIII. Anthem (4:03)
19
ROBE: XIX. Beira's Vision (6:59)
20
ROBE: XX. Epilogue (2:07)
