A Vaia Viva

The musician and visual artist Pedro Sousa ventures into the territory of opera. “A Vaia Viva” presents itself as an opera for one voice and three reel-to-reel machines, with a composition originally developed by Pedro Sousa, adapted from the short story “Las Babas Del Diablo” (1959) by Julio Cortázar.

The text, adapted for an opera format with the consultancy and support of Rita Carolina Silva, is divided into three distinct movements. The first chapter narrates the events that Robert Michel describes and witnesses in the garden. The second chapter describes Robert’s retreat at home as he relives the moments he witnessed and reveals the photo he took in the garden. The third and final part of the opera reflects Robert’s descent into a kind of state of madness as he attempts to relive and recreate the moments witnessed in the first part of the story, creating a circular narrative that benefits from the proposed aesthetic and sonic characteristics on which the opera is based.

In this short story, Roberto Michel, a translator whose obsession is photography, observes an event, inserting himself into the world as narrator and participant. Forcing the spectator to question both the narrator’s perception of the moment witnessed and the veracity of reality itself, the opera’s narrative develops by seeking to expand and amplify short descriptive key excerpts from the story.

Pedro Sousa will be in charge of manipulating his voice live, through the use of electronics, such as delays, reverbs and other effects, as well as manipulating the reel to reel machines.

Artistic direction: Pedro Alves Sousa
Singer: Beatriz Maia
Live sound manipulation: Pedro Alves Sousa
Light design: Rui Monteiro
Production: BoCA – Biennial of Contemporary Arts
Partnership: Opart / Teatro Nacional São Carlos