Emily Hall: Women Make Music
Emily Hall is teaming up with Icelandic writer Sjon (former lyricist to Bjork) to create a chamber opera/concept album exploring shared psychosis. This intense tragi-comic love story is inspired by the syndrome whereby a delusion is passed between a couple, in this case delusional parasitosis, the false belief of infestation by parasites.
The team will then create a concept album/song cycle that is then staged. Emily will take recordings of soprano Sofia Jernberg imitating various insects and transforming them as the basis for the electronic component of the piece.
Emily Hall developed her idea for Folie à deux with psychiatrist Dr Lisa Conlan as part of The Opera Group’s Future Bodies project, bringing artists and scientists together.
“As a composer, I’ve been drawn to this idea as the darkness of the creepy crawlies and infestation and self-doubt and isolation contrast beautifully with themes of Folie à deux – love and coming together, faith and defiance. I feel there can be some very beautiful and powerful songs stemming from these moments.” Emily Hall, composer.
Photo by Kate Benjamin.