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Orphee 53 - Pierre Schaefer and Pierre Henri
The electroacoustic opera Orphee 53, written by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henri, was premiered at the Donneschaugen Music Festival in the Summer of 1953. 20 minute version -
The Diary of a Madman - Humphrey Searle
Opera with tape used for sound effects. 12-tone idiom. 2:48
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Aniara - Karl-Birger Blomdahl
Opera by Karl-Birger Blomdahl that includes a tape track, which represents the role of a computer in the opera full video -
Don Perlimplin - Bruno Maderna
An opera written for radio, recorded on tape in 1962. Includes tape processes of overlapping voices/instruments full audio -
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Die Soldaten - Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Multimedia opera including video, multiple stage platforms, electronic music etc.
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The Photo of the Colonel - Humphrey Searle
Wrote the libretto himself. " The orchestral accompaniment is entirely subservient to, and independent of; the voices, and consists for the most part of colourful sound-effects, supplemented by the occasional use of pre-recorded sounds, such as breaking glass, traffic noises, water splashing, and so on." more info -
Zwischenfälle bei einer Notlandung - Boris Blacher
Libretto by Heinz von Cramer Orchestra and Tape
"entire scenes were designed only for music from speakers" -
Loving (Toi) - R. Murray Schafer
4 female voices, 2 actors, harp, guitar (+ electric guitar, banjo), mandolin, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano (+ harpsichord, celesta), accordion, 6 percussion, fixed media
Uses a voice (the Poet) recorded on tape
info -
Louis Riel - Harry Somers
"Somers complemented the linguistic diversity of the libretto by embracing a range of musical styles that placed diatonic melodies, popular song, and lyricism in juxtaposition and superimposition with abstract atonal writing, Sprechstimme, and electronically generated sounds." Electronics happen between scenes excerpt from tv version -
That Morning Thing - Robert Ashley
singers, speaker, synth, recorded sounds full video -
Help, Help, the Globolinks! - Gian Carlo Menotti
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Elephant Steps - Stanley Silverman/Pril Smiley
"A Multi-Media Pop-Opera Extravaganza with Pop Singers, Opera Singers, Orchestra, Rock Band, Electronic Tape, Raga Group, Tape Recorder, G**** Ensemble, and Elephants"
Electronic music realized by Pril Smiley
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Reconstructie - Louis Andriessen, Reinbert de Leeuw, Misha Mengelberg, Peter Schat and Jan van Vlijmen.
"Morality" or protest work with amplification and live electronics, mostly distortion, of voice and instruments.
more info -
Combat Zone - Richard Arnell
Narrator, two electronic tracks. Video. Baritone, choir
Words: Louis Coxe,
Electronics: Herbert Deutsch,
Visuals: Howard Breqstein
Music: Richard Arnell
more info -
The Rose Garden - Anne Boyd
Text by Robin Hamilton.
Soprano, SATB choir, 3 flutes, 2 guitars, 6 percussion, jazz ensemble (alto flute, electric guitar, piano, drums), pre-recorded tape.
First performance: May 72. University of York
Article by the composer
More info -
Massada - Joseph Tal
Opera for "soloists, choir, and electronic music" - tape opera.
full recording
full score via Tal's website -
Myshkin - John Eaton
TV opera with orchestra, electronic instruments, microtones interview with Eaton -
Voices in Limbo : a radiophonic opera - Larry Sitsky
Libretto: Gwen Harwood
Instrumentation: Soprano, altos, tenor, baritones, speaking voices, mixed choir, electric guitar, bass guitar, flute, piccolo, violin, keyboards, percussion, VCS3 synthesizer, eventide phaser, high flier, ring modulator, computer, multitrack recording, tape echo.
More info -
Period: to
Stockhausen's Licht
Stockhausen's monumental electronic/multimedia opera cycle was composed between 1977 and 2003. The cycle includes operas for every day of the week. Exerpts -
The Little Mermaid - Anne Boyd
3 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, 4 contraltos, baritone, bass, non-singing female role, SATB choir, mime chorus, 7 wind instruments, timpani, percussion, piano, strings, electronic tape. Text by Robin Lee after the story by Hans Christian Andersen More Info -
Lament of Kamuela - John Appleton
Libretto by composer choir (SATB), tape, Hawaiian folk singer, Japanese Classical singer, rock group with film and video. review -
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Period: to
Atalanta (Acts of God) - Robert Ashley
This opera has electronic instruments and prerecorded elements.
(full audio) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH_Zu2Hs758] -
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Prometeo - Luigi Nono
"tragedy of listening" which used a complex setup for live electronic processing. [full video] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joteZTLpHdE&ab_channel=newmusicostrava} paper on space in prometeo -
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Period: to
Now Eleanor's Idea - Robert Ashley
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Shaman - Alice Shields
Alice Shields opera in 1 act for 4 singers, chorus, 4 instruments & fixed audio media. -
Countdown - Christopher Yavelow
Christopher Yavelow. "First computer-assisted opera" ...
Info and excerpt -
Valis - Tod Machover
Tod Machover's first electronic opera
"A spectacle with live performers, computer music, and multi-screen video projections"
Uses two "Hyperinstruments" keyboard and percussion
Full audio
Review -
Mass for the Dead - Alice Shields
Alice Shields opera in 1 act for 4 singers, chorus, 4 instruments & fixed audio media
excerpt -
The E & O Line - Anne LeBaron
Anne LeBaron is from Baton Rouge
for four principals, three-part female chorus, twelve-part mixed chorus, eight instruments, tape
elements of blues, jazz, pop, rock, and folk
Excerpts -
Léone - Phillip Meon
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Apocalypse - Alice Shields
Alice Shields opera in 2 acts for 3 singers, chorus, dancers, electric guitar, electronic keyboard & fixed audio media
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Coal - Judith Shatin
scored for chorus, Appalachian band (2 singers, fiddle, guitar, hammer dulcimer, banjo) keyboard and electronic playback Video about making the work
More info
Review with comment on electronics -
Powers of Two - Barry Truax
Barry Truax electroacoustic opera for six singers, two dancers, video tape and eight digital soundtracks. Gay themes! -
The Automobile Graveyard - Robert Ceely
" six singers, small chamber orchestra, jazz ensemble and electronic tape." audio -
Failing Kansas - Mikel Rouse
Opera for single speaker, tape, and video. "Downtown Opera" full performance -
Brain Opera - Tod Machover
Tod Machover's interactive opera experience with electronic instruments -
Dennis Cleveland - Mikel Rouse
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60e parallèle - Philippe Manoury
9 singers, large orchestra and electronics.
prelude -
The Voluptuous Tango - Dominic Muldowney
Opera Bouffe in 11 scenes for 2 singers, male chorus and pre-recorded sound
review -
Balseros - Robert Ashley
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Custer and Sitting Bull - Kyle Gann
Kyle Gann wrote this work for solo performer, midi instruments, and keyboard. The midi instruments are tuned in Just Intonation. The opera is a highly portable "pocket opera" Full audio -
L'Amour de loin - Kaija Saariaho
Libretto by Amin Maalouf.
Largescale work for orchestra and electronics.
"The electronics for this opera can be run with a Max patch that plays the pre-recorded sound files, which should be diffused on two quadraphonic spaces: one vertical space around the front of the stage, and one horizontal space around the audience."
more info
audio -
K... Philippe Manoury
Orchestra and tape.
"the sounds in the pit are combined with pre-recorded material (realised using the technology at IRCAM), projected through 16 loudspeakers arrayed around the auditorium"
more info -
Cinderella's Bad Magic - Kyle Gann
microtonal chamber opera for six singers, three synthesizers, flute, and fretless bass
more info -
La frontière - Phillipe Manoury
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She lost her voice and that's how we knew - Frances White
"The music is composed very specifically from Kristin [Norderval]. Much of the electronic material is derived from recordings of her singing and speaking, and I used various computer tools to analyze her voice so that the vocal writing follows her sonic "fingerprint". "
excerpts -
Adrana Mater - Kaija Saariaho
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Made out of Concrete - Robert Ashley
"orchestra" tape track
full video -
Sucktion - Anne LeBaron
libretto by Douglas Kearney mezzo-soprano, percussion (vibes, drum set, small instruments and toy piano), fixed audio, live processing Score excerpt -
Crescent City - Anne LeBaron
8 singers: lyric coloratura soprano, lyric soprano, dramatic mezzo, contralto, dramatic tenor, lyric tenor, tenor, bass-baritone
2 male actors; 8 actors/dancers (optional)
chamber orchestra, fixed audio Info and excerpt