"Whose opinion really counts?"

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.

Press: "(...) As a true vocal artist she sings, spits and caresses the witty verses. De Graaff utilises her flexible voice in evocative melodies, full of surprising turns of phrases. The songs are at its most lucid when they are accompanied sparsely, only using a piano or flute solo. The fear of the conspiracy theorist is portrayed though by the whole ensemble in the grinding, sinister chords of the interludes. (...)" De Volkskrant, Jenny Camilleri
General information:
​
​Libretto:
Yuri Robbers
Eleanor Barlow

Instrumentation:
​Sop. Fl.Cl.Pno.Vln.Vlc.

Commissioned by:
Opera Zuid
November Music
Muziekgebouw aan't IJ

Audio Fragment:
2021-2022 season production:

​Staging:
Kenza Koutchoukali

Soprano:
Katrien Baerts

Ensemble:
Het Collectief 

​Interview for De Cultuurpers

​
Podcast:

​Sheet music published by Donemus