BIOGRAPHY
JAMIE MAN/ 文珮玲 uses the forms of opera, live performance and dark room installations to create works primarily concerned with music and the poetic mystery of the transtopian body.
Outrenoir I, II, III and V are a series of live dark-room installation-performance works inspired by the black canvases of french artist Pierre Soulages exploring the different ways that darkness can allow us to see. Using auditory illusions, infrasound and visual phenomena such as physiological after-images created with light, the works were commissioned by Ensemble Xenon (Berlin, 2018), London Symphony Orchestra (2019), San Francisco Symphony (2022) and Sonotomia with Festival Terras sem Sombra using 4DSOUND (Alentejo, 2022).
四/Shi for voice and violoncello with text by 伊藤晴雨/Itō Seiu and various Japanese death poems was commissioned by the pioneering Nōh artist, Ryoko Aoki (Tokyo, 2017). In 2021, continuing their collaboration, Jamie created ZELLE: Wenn es Dunkel Wird as Director/Composer with writer Peter Stamm; a multi-lingual opera in Japanese, German, Ukrainian, music, light, water and darkness. (LOD Muziektheater, Gent with Theater- und Musikgesellschaft Zug, deSingel Antwerp, Asko|Schönberg Ensemble Amsterdam, Palau de les Arts Reine Sofia, De Munt / La Monnaie Bruxelles, Festival Aix-en-Provence and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lisboa).
Other large-scale works include PLAY: Episodes in Subspace (Gulbenkian Music Foundation Lisbon, 2016), Filth and Ecstasy (Ballet de l'opera du Rhin, 2021), DARK SKIES with Blixa Bargeld (Asko|Schönberg Ensemble, Slagwerk Den Haag, Holland Festival, 2023) and Connaissez-vous le cri du Chocard? for Orchestra, light and darkness, commissioned by l’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and Théatre du Châtelet (Paris, 2020) supported by the Franco-British fund Diaphonique.
As a conductor, Jamie continues to work internationally conducting premieres of her own work as well as those of other living composers. Highlights include Les Enfants Terribles by Philip Glass (Arcola, UK premiere), The Transmigration of Morton F. with music by Anat Spiegel (La Monnaie, Brussels/ Holland Festival, Amsterdam), recordings of music by Frank Denyer for the label Another Timbre (UK) and The Blue Woman (Royal Opera House, London) by Laura Bowler directed by Katie Mitchell.
INTERVIEWS AND LINKS
2024/// CONNAISSEZ-VOUS LE CRI DU CHOCARD? Shortlisted for the British Section of ISCM World New Music Days 2025
2023 //// Article for the release of ORPHANS OF THE COSMOS/ 宇宙孤兒 on NMC records
2022 //// Interview with Culturplaza as ZELLE becomes the first opera by a female composer to be performed at Palau de les arts, Valencia (ES)
2022 //// World premiere of Connaissez-vous le cri du Chocard? now available to view on Youtube
2021 //// SHI/四 released on CD「夜の詞 Yoru no Kotoba」'WORDS OF THE NIGHT' (JP)
2021 //// Interview on the creation of ZELLE for ENOA (EN)
2020 //// Feature in Le Magazine de l'Ochestre de chambre de Paris, Janvier 2020 | issue no. 3 (FR)
2020 //// Feature in TCHÂT, Le journal du Théâtre du Châtelet #02 (FR)
2019 //// Podcast Interview for ENOA with Saskia De Ville (EN)
2019 //// Review of GEBURT protest walk-outs in Tonnehalle Düsseldorf, review [Westdeutsche Zeitung, Germany] (DE)
2019 //// Review of GEBURT in Berlin [Deutschlandfunk, Germany] (DE)
2019 //// Interview at London Symphony Orchestra for OUTRENOIR II (EN)
2018 //// Interview on workshop for WHITE RABBIT with LOD Muziektheater (EN)
2017 //// Feature on SHI/四 for Ryoko Aoki [VOGUE magazine, Japan] (JP)
2016 //// Artist spotlight article for European Network of Opera Academies Festival d' Aix-en-Provence (EN)
2015 //// Workshop for NO DEVIL LIVED ON with Mahogany Opera Group (EN)
CATALOGUE
Dark Room/ Spatial Sound Installation | ||||
Celestial Palpitations | 10' | Analogue Slide Projector, Electronics | Created with film artist Chiemi Shimada | 2024,Spanners Club London |
30’ | 4DSOUND + 60 speaker configuration of SSI Budapest | Created with Marijn Cinjee and André Fonsenca | 2022, Sonotomia, Spatial Sound Institute, Budapest | |
15’ | 4DSOUND + Soprano + Subwoofers + Dead Bees | Words: Jamie Man Spatial sound design, Marijn Cinjee | 2022, Ines Simoes, Pedra Angular/ Festival Terras des Sombra/ Sonotomia, Odemira 2022 | |
N/A | 4DSOUND + Dark room + Yeso Roja + EMF recordings | 2021, Sonotomia, Santa María Foundation, Albarracín | ||
For Musicians, Light and Darkness | ||||
DARK SKIES X BLIXA BARGELD | 60’ | Blixa Bargeld and Orchestra 4.0.0.2.-0.2.3.3.-7Perc.EGuit.BGuit.Org.-0.0.8.7.6 | Words and vocals: Blixa Bargeld | TBC, Asko|Schönberg Ensemble, Slaagwerk Den Haag, Holland Festival |
666” | Royal Festival Hall Organ and Orchestral Ensemble 0.0.Bcl.Cbsn.-Hn.0.BTbn.Tba.-2perc.-Organ-0.0.1.1.1. (Strings - as many as possible) | - | 2023, James McVinnie and Philharmonia Orchestra, London | |
OUTRENOIR III : The Little Death | 10’ | SSAA vocal quartet and Orchestral Ensemble SSAA.-3.0.0.0.-0.0.0.0-3perc.-Hp.0.0.5.8.6 | Words: Jamie Man Light Sculpture: Ben Zamora | 2022, San Francisco Symphony Soundbox |
10’ | Orchestra 2.2.2.2.-4.1.0.0.-hp-timp.8.7.6.5.3 | - | 2020, L’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and Théatre du Châtelet, Paris | |
15’ | Percussion, Violin and Violoncello Perc.-1.0.1.0 | Words: Jamie Man Light Sculpture: Ben Zamora | 2019, London Symphony Orchestra Soundhub, London | |
OUTRENOIR I : A reflection | 10’ | Actor, Soprano, Viola and Violoncello actor. sop.-0.1.1.0 | Words: Jamie Man | 2018, Ensemble Xenon, Berlin |
For Musicians (Only) | ||||
40’ | Solo Electric Guitar and Orchestra 2.2(II+C.A).2(II.+Bcl).2- 4.1.3.0- timp.perc.-Hp. elec guit.10.8.6.6.4 | after text by Michel Foucault | 2021, Ballet de l' Opera du Rhin, Strasbourg (Studio recording only) | |
3'30" | Harpsichord and String ensemble Hpchd.-1.1.1.1.1 (Strings - as many as possible) | - | 2020, Sinfonia Humanitas and Gabriella Teychenné, London | |
3'40" | Harpsichord and String ensemble Hpchd.-1.1.1.1.1 (Strings - as many as possible) | 2020, Sinfonia Humanitas and Gabriella Teychenné, London | ||
4’33” | Baritone and Ensemble Bar.-0.0.1Bcl.1.-1.1.1.0.-2Perc.Pno.-1.1.1.1.1 | Words: Peter Stamm | 2019, UnitedBerlin Ensemble/Vladimir Jurowski and Dietrich Henschel, Berlin | |
8’ | Noh singer and Violoncello | Words: 伊藤晴雨 Itou Seiu and anon. Japanese death poems | 2017, Ensemble-No and Ryoko Aoki, Tokyo | |
CLOWNS CRY TOO | 5’ | Soprano, Percussion, Viola and Double Bass sop.-perc.-0.1.0.1 | Words: Jamie Man | 2016, Ensemble Xenon, Berlin |
FAG | 10’ | Bassoon and 2 cassette tape recorders | - | 2015, Georgie Powell, Amsterdam, |
BODY LANGUAGE | 10’ | SATB quartet and live electronics sop.alt.ten.bss.-elec. | Words: Jamie Man | 2014, LOD Muziektheater/Silbersee, Ghent |
A SLEEP APART | 5’ | SATB choir | Words: Jamie Man Metamorphoses by Ovid (excerpts) | 2013, Eric Ericsons Kammerkör, Mechelen |
AFFINITY | 3’ | Soprano and Piano | Words: Kenneth Vard | 2012, Tom Southern and the Motor Neurone Society, Aldeburgh |
WOUNDS OF VIOLENCE: A political act for orchestra | 3’ | Unlimited | ||
Opera for Concert Hall | ||||
35’ | Soprano, Bariton-Martin and Orchestra sop.ten. 2fl.picc. 2C.A. 2cl. Bcl. 2fg. Kfg. 4hn.3tp. 3tb. tba. timp. 2perc. 10vla. 8vc. 6cb. | Direction: Kristiina Helin Words: Jamie Man and trad. | 2016, Jussi Lehtipuu, Ines Simoes, Hannu Lintu, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon | |
Opera for Stage | ||||
60’ | Noh performer, Countertenor, Throat Singer, Percussion, Electric Guitar, Electronics | Direction: Jamie Man, Words: Peter Stamm Light/Scenography: Ezra Veldhuis Costume/Inflatables: Fredrik Tjærandsen Dramaturg: Tomas Serrien Electronics: Tatiana Rosa Sound Design: Brecht Beuslinck | 2021, LOD Muziektheater (BE), Theater- und Musikgesellschaft Zug (CH), deSingel Antwerp (BE), Asko Schönberg (NL), Palau de les Arts Reine Sofia (ES), De Munt / La Monnaie Bruxelles (BE), Festival Aix-en-Provence (FR) & Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (PT) | |
Opera for Children | ||||
COUNTING SHEEP | 10’ | Piano and Children | Words: Stephen Plaice | 2017, Mahogany Opera Snappy Opera, London |