Fuel: The Open Fund For Organisations
Woman & Machine
Woman & Machine is a ground-breaking binaural opera experience connecting audiences through sound, centring characters rarely seen in opera and exploring the untold stories that continually cross paths in a neonatal unit. Using binaural sound and intercultural dialogue between the influences of contemporary, electronic and Zimbabwean Shona music, Woman & Machine will challenge the traditional forms and aesthetics of opera, developing the form and unlocking its potential to tell stories and convey emotion. Binaural sound will give the audience a very specific perspective, putting them at the centre of the experience in a world they may not have experienced before.
Woman & Machine is led by London-based Eska Mtungwazi, who is the creator, composer and librettist for the project. Eska is a vocalist, composer, choral conductor and producer whose genre-hopping career has included collaborations with artists such as Grace Jones, Zero 7, Tony Allen, and more. Alongside making international festival appearances, she had sold-out performances at Southbank Centre and the Roundhouse. She released her first EP in 2013, and her self-titled Mercury-nominated debut album in 2015. Following her eclectic personality and music portfolio, Eska will be branching out into a new genre, by composing her first opera using binaural sounds. The co-creator Kirsty Housley will support Eska as director and librettist. Kirsty is a director, writer and dramaturg with experience in developing binaural sound projects.