Digital Marionette Study I

Abstract

This work explores the intersections between opera, puppetry and wearable technologies and contributes to the growing body of work in the contemporary opera and experimental electronic music fields. Study 1 is a new experimental work for two performers that explores the dominant themes of puppetry and specifically the notion of control and interactions with the body and projection of the voice. The world of puppetry involves a complex hierarchy for the performers and also challenges audiences to consider causal actions during the show. The traditional relationship between the puppet and the puppeteer is examined in this work where the puppeteer is deliberately placed in the position of power which is the prevalent understanding of the relationship. The puppeteer can control the limbs of the puppet and hence the resulting sounds via the use of the wearable technology which detects movements of the puppet character’s body, arms and head. The data from the wearable controllers is fed into a computer where it can be programmed to controls the sound as the puppet moves. <br/> The work draws together the fields of electronic music, and opera performance practice to consider how the musical and performative overlap can be structured in relation to the concept of puppetry. The use of wearable gestural controllers opens up a modern paradigm for the concept of the puppet, where the data from the movement of the bodies can be used in many ways to control the performance elements. The performers can control each other, their voice and the production of the sound and media elements. The work is significant and topical in relation to recent gender politics regarding control of the body. The work offers an opportunity to extend the practices of artists from discrete fields in a new and complimentary way and is significant in its attempt to expand opera practice in Australia. The development of this work was supported by the QLab residency program at the Q Theatre.