Dama, With Theremin

Sarah Weis, in gold sequins, sings an aria written/recorded by John Honey and "plays" her theremin (which arrived in a box from the repair center in North Carolina hours before the show.)AHHH!

This was crazy. My theremin had been out of town for over a month, and I actually didn't even get to turn it on before the show. I wanted to cop out on that element and just sing, but the inclusion of it was so very important to Johnny....so I tried to make up for it in 'attitude', haha.

This was my fourth performance of the night (I also performed B-17 for the last time before filming it!), and by this point, I had consumed a LOT of the gin that Johnny had bought for his performers.

This piece is the first of 3 songs he had written (at the time of this recital, Feb. 2006) for a full-length electronic opera. He refers to this one as an aria. I had also performed it one year before at a composition competition he was entered in. This was before I ever had a theremin, and his direction to simply 'walk on stage and stand there, staring the audience down until its time to sing' was scary and fascinating, considering the intro was 3 1/2 minutes long!!!! It was one of the most bizarre and liberating performance experiences I had ever had. I don't know if it was as successful this time around, but you can tell that it was still a pretty strange journey for me.

The show was called The Marquis De Strawberry, and included about 19 of his songs, incorporating singers, dancers, theatrics, and many combinations of musicians. I wish I could find the liner notes for this song; they are hilarious!

Having a vocalist sing over his own, very unique, prerecorded voice is a reoccurring element in Johnny's work. It creates ghostlike effect that I really like. I am singing a solo and a duet; maybe I am another side of him or he is another side of me. Either way, I can't help but trying to sing LIKE him whenever I do it.



Dear Johnny,

I will always think you are brilliant. I miss you and am sorry about the way things turned out between us. Someday I will be able to explain. I hope you are happy in San Francisco and that you stay creative and magical. We'll meet again.

Love,
Sarah

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sarah
• weis
• john
• johnny
• honey
• hanig
• cage
• aria
• dama
• moog
• etherwave
• theremin
• gold
• glitter
• diva
• nico
• B-17
• experimental
• opera

[DoctorMetropolis]

Where was this! You look amazing...sound amazing...are amazing. Applause!

[sirrywhite]

Ganz Hall, Chicago. Thanks!!!

[whirlysquirrel]

I couldn't help but laugh at 1 minute into this video.

Is this supposed to be serious?

[sirrywhite]

I just updated the liner notes...maybe that will explain. It is supposed to be "serious."

[madamerotten]

@savedintheblood LOL!

[TreasureOne]

Oh dear god.

[TreasureOne]

@madamerotten ROTFL So true, so true. Except for the tiny bit of merit.

[Icekatana91]

Is this supposed to be music ? It's only feedbacks from the speakers. It's freally annoying.

[jojokerus]

Nice thought, mr blood.

[fatherwkd]

very nice music ! ! ! I love it !

[Wyrehedd242]

what the fuck was that all about???

[LiquidShell77]

I take my last comment back. This is Bull SHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTT. Why did she have to walk towards the theremin like that? Please help yourself and everyone else and do something else.

[LiquidShell77]

WTF?

[woodyinthemiddle]

Akkk Akkkk!!! Nice boobs