After receiving critical acclaim in New York and at the Los Angeles Opera, Emma O’Halloran’s double-bill opera, Trade/Mary Motorhead, will make its debut in Ireland. These operas were inspired by the plays written by her uncle, artist and author, Mark O’Halloran.
O’Halloran began her journey into opera writing with Mary Motorhead, during the conclusion of her doctoral studies at Princeton University in late 2017, when a call for scores email from the independent opera company, Beth Morrison Projects, found its way to her. At that point, creating an opera seemed an unreachable, illustrious endeavour, comparable to a Catch-22 situation, where prior experience in opera composition seemed a prerequisite. Initially, O’Halloran had only one song to her credit, but she boldly submitted it for the call for scores.
She was shortlisted as one among 10 semi-finalists at National Sawdust in New York, eventually becoming one of two composers to receive a commission from the Brooklyn venue, affording her the opportunity to compose a 30-minute chamber opera.
Regardless of her lack of extensive opera experience, O’Halloran noticed the prevalent, aggressive depiction of women in opera. Hence, she resolved to craft her opera differently – a direction that led her to shape Mary Motorhead. Writing this opera demanded most of her daily time, leaving her to feel trapped just like the title character.
Under a stringent deadline, she sought inspiration from Mary Motorhead, a play which had struck a chord in her when showcased at Dublin’s Bewley’s Cafe Theatre. The play’s central figure is a woman convicted for attacking her husband. O’Halloran recalls the riveting performance by presumably Cora Fenton – the actress’s volatile transition from violent to deeply intuitive intrigued and frightened her.
O’Halloran made the choice to perform the act as a monodrama. In her rather naive perception – a classic instance of the Dunning-Kruger effect – she pondered, ‘Can scriptwriting for an opera or an opera libretto be that complex? I should try it on my own.’ She reached out to Mark via a message, seeking permission to tinker with his play and he responded, forwarding the piece saying, ‘Best of luck.’
In the process, she got in touch with the renowned mezzo-soprano Naomi Louisa O’Connell, who embodies a powerful dramatic presence and has performed in cabarets and operas alike. Upon receiving the play, O’Connell promptly responded, affirming, ‘Great, I’m committed.’ The piece was created so swiftly that O’Halloran didn’t even get a moment to question her own abilities, and this was a freeing experience. There was a kind of immediate certainty in her decisions about the act, the reasons for which she could not clearly articulate. She merely thought that if this would be her only chance to compose another opera, she might as well please herself and enjoy.
Creating an act around a single performer is challenging enough but it becomes even more so if that performer is confined to a prison cell for the entire time. ‘They’re not even in transit. And I imagined, goodness, I’ll need to find a way to liberate her from the prison cell,’ she ascertained. She started imagining what Mary Motorhead, her protagonist, could possibly be listening to in her daily life. As someone who obsessively soaks in a favourite tune until she’s sick of it, O’Halloran wanted to inject these audio elements into her piece.
The differences in the sound of silence were apparent. It could be a palpable heartbeat or a clock ticking, reflections of the relentless progression of time.
The experience of composing Mary Motorhead was significant for O’Halloran. She recounts that from an early age, she was enamored with the idea of being a director. She recollects an event in fourth class when the teacher announced a musical production of Oliver Twist. That very night, she was already mapping out the scene changes in her mind, effectively directing it. Opera, she believes, is a perfect form, where the actions are incorporated in the music itself. She now likens the experience of her prolonged working schedule while writing Mary Motorhead, comprising 12-16 hours a day, to that of being in a jail cell and embodies the character.
O’Halloran remembers how the music of the 1990s triggers specific memories, allowing her to relive those moments as if frozen in time, often marked by related smells such as sun cream. She started to contemplate, what if Mary could do the same? Therefore, O’Halloran incorporated disoriented samples of pop music to symbolise moments when Mary steps into her memories and escapes the confinement for a brief period.
Interestingly, her previous experience with performing on aerial hoops and silks also helped shape her work. Even though she never considered herself particularly skillful, she cherished it for the feeling of strength it gave her. She was fascinated by the discussions surrounding repetition and the transformed meaning a repeated gesture can have over time. She emphasizes that the experience was of immense importance to her at that time.
O’Halloran reflected on a multitude of factors influencing his thoughts about music. Elements such as recurrent themes or retracing recollections made him consider his own transformation over time. His belief is that change is a constant; nothing remains fixed. This notion led him to deeply consider the role of repetition in music, along with a plethora of other factors. He enjoyed being a part of an alternative creative medium that utilised movement and sound, offering a unique perspective on music creation.
He additionally discussed the timing within Mary Motorhead, focusing on the length of the pauses. He explored how long it took to recover after recounting a distressing memory and the time needed to reconnect with the audience. His observations for Trade mirrored this.
Trade is located within a shabby room of a Dublin bed and breakfast, in the inner city. The plot revolves around two individuals, a young male prostitute and his significantly older client. The presence of uncomfortable silences underline their struggle to communicate, as this is a first for both. It depicts people with a considerable difficulty to express themselves.
While composing, O’Halloran would oscillate between the perspectives of both characters, pondering over the appropriate duration for a pause. He also contemplated what role music would play during those pauses. Each pause held a different undertone. It could be a symbol of a ticking clock or a heartbeat, a reminder of time progressing. Occasionally, the silence could be awkward, possibly following a heated exchange or simply tension after opening a beverage can unveiling an atmosphere of strained relaxation.
The allure of opera, as explained by the Irish National Opera and Beth Morrison Projects, is the ability to infuse a depth of emotion into the drama. Since a single feeling like jealousy is portrayed as a mix of anger, resentment, and sorrow. As a result, the orchestra contributes to establishing this emotional intensity. Every shrill note drawn by the violin or rhythmic pattern created by the piano adds another dimension of sentiment. Even if it’s subtle enough for the audience not to register it consciously, they can most certainly feel it, which is absolutely magical.
These collaborations are part of the Kilkenny Arts Festival, kicking off from August 8th to the 11th. Following this is a tour that will visit various locations including Dún Laoghaire, Cork, Tralee, Ennis, and Navan from October 11th to October 26th. The showcases include “Trade” featuring Oisín Ó Dálaigh and John Molloy, and “Mary Motorhead” with Naomi Louisa O’Connell. Tom Creed directs while Elaine Kelly conducts, offering an immersive performance.