Synopera, 2000: Synopera was a small installation loosely based on our experiences in Beijing, China, where we installed our previous project (Cross-Talk). This small installation was sited in an outdoor freight elevator into which visitors could peer. The music was assembled only from samples of Peking Opera then heavily modified. The visual components included many traditional spiritual symbols from China such as number-series diagrams, pre-Confucian drawings, and color schemes based on tile glazes. Five of the objects were motorized by servo motors under the control of a Stamp microcomputer. The lights were under MIDI control. Our thanks to the Leeway Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Larry Becker and Heidi Nivling for their support. And to Steve Buret for PBasic programming help.
Carolyn Healy: sculpture and lighting,
John JH Phillips: audio and electronics