Opera Projects
Blarvuster has served as the “pit orchestra” for many of Welch’s tour-ready operas.
On May 6 2018, Experiments in Opera premiered And Here We Are, the new shadow puppet opera from co-founder Matthew Welch, with libretto by Daniel Neer. This 90-minute work for 4 vocal soloists and mixed ensemble will be staged using an updated take on traditional Javanese shadow puppetry and will feature Welch’s long-time ensemble Blarvuster with Mantra Percussion. And Here We Are is based on the memoirs of Matthew’s great uncle Edgar, and is being developed with director and designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew.
Daniel Neer, baritone
Ben Holmes, trumpet
Joe Bergen, percussion
Chris Graham, percussion
Ian Riggs, bass guitar
Joe Tucker, drums
Matthew Welch, conductor
Assistant Direction and Design: Tomas Del Valle
Puppeteers: Emma Wiseman, Meghan Williams, Maria Cama, Justin Perkins, Leah Ogawa
Video Design and Programming: Chris Carcione
Toy Theater of Town Hall built by: Eric (Jiaying) Zhang
Additional Design Edits: Tom Lee
Barbarella (2014)
Barbarella – an opera film trailer for mezzo-soprano, narrator, electronics and video. An opera as film trailer modeled on the 1968 film Barbarella. 3 minutes.
ReAnimator Requiem (2013)
ReAnimator Requiem– for choir (ssaattbb), electric guitar, bass guitar and drums (Blarvuster), 30 minutes, one act.
The Three Truths (2012)
The Three Truths, a Robot Micro-Opera, 8 minutes. Anne Rhodes and Jeffrey Gavett soloists, Paolo Bortolameolli conducting.
Borges and the Other (2007-2012)
Borges and the Other is scored for 4 solo singers (2 mezzo-sopranos, tenor and baritone) and SATB chorus, and an expanded version of Blarvuster as the orchestra, and can be performed as an 85 minute 2-Act opera or 3 separable sub-acts each roughly 25-30 minutes.
The opera is about the Argentine fiction writer Jorge Luis Borges, with text adapted and inspired by Borges. The Opera centers on Borges meeting himself in a dream, and through inquisitive dialogue, it becomes a surreal look at the self. The Chorus functions like a Greek chorus with contemplative text. All of the singers and choristers represent Borges as an idea and image. Produced by Experiments in Opera and premiered at Roulette, NYC, May 2012.
Matthew Welch's Blarvuster 