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My Secret Heart is a new commission by Streetwise Opera (www.streetwiseopera.org) of a music and film installation written by electronic composer and Warp artist Mira Calix, video artists Flat-e and sound designer Dave Sheppard. They are working with around 80-100 Streetwise performers from across the UK to create a unique work that will be shown around the world.
The new piece is inspired by the Allegris 17th-century choral work Miserere Mei, a piece so protected by the Vatican that they put an embargo on it. It wasnt until Mozart transcribed it during a visit to Rome that the world began to share this astonishing work. Mira Calix and Flat-e have used the theme of secrecy to explore movements and singing with Streetwises participants to create this new century-leaping work.
The installation will be previewed in Lucerne in October, premiered at the Royal Festival Hall on 3rd December and tour to galleries and festivals across the world through 2009.
Process
Streetwise Opera works in 10 homeless centres around the country in London, Luton, Nottingham, Newcastle and Middlesbrough running a weekly music programme. Each year we work towards a major show with our performers at venues such as the Almeida Theatre and Westminster Abbey.
Through July and August 2008 the composer Mira Calix and the video artists Flat-e have worked with all the groups to create My Secret Heart. We chose Allegris 17th century choral masterpiece, Miserere as inspiration for the piece. Streetwise performers worked on dramatic movements inspired by the secrecy and mystery of the Miserere which were then filmed by Flat-e for the visuals of the piece. They also sang sections of Miserere for the soundtrack.
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