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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.

CATALOGUE

Dark Room/ Spatial Sound Installation

     ELVÁGYÓDÁS

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)

     FILTH & ECSTASY

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

     GEBURT

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

     SHI/ 四

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

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