Black Water

So….it’s been a while. A long while in fact since my last pontification on the subject of all things Khaotic. Reasons for this include a long awaited renovation to my studio, creating parts for the workshop, and the workshop itself. The workshop was a tremendous success owing in large part to the preparation and performances by our all-star cast. Workshop attendees Charles Barber from Vancouver City Opera and Alison Greene who has worked extensively with Victoria’s Pacific Opera offered just the right amount of critical feedback. Special thanks goes out to producer Marty Horswill for making the weekend go off without a hitch.

One section that was identified in the workshop as possibly needing to be repeated elsewhere in the work was the short aria for Persephone titled “Black Water”. In this aria a dancer from the upper world has perished due to Demeter’s rage and enters the underworld full of dread, crippled by sadness due to the loss of loved ones left behind. Persephone’s new role in the underworld is such that she must relieve the suffering of all who enter the kingdom of the underworld by removing their memories. This she does by singing the “Black Water” incantation that deals with crossing the river Styx, the ancient mythical river that separates the underworld from the world of the living.

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