I am maria!

Tag: carmen

  • Carmencita en fragmentos – Study II

    Carmencita…Study II

    An investigation into how I fit, if I fit, and what it means when I don’t.

    Study II of an exploration of the feminine archetype, Carmen returns to me again and again. Not as a role to perform, but as a myth to question.

    The reference here is most directly the Habanera – a melody so embedded in culture that even non-opera audiences recognise it. But beyond its familiarity lies something deeper: Carmen as rebel, as woman who refused to fit the narrative of her time.

    She does not follow societal rules. She does not soften herself to survive. She stands firm in her own truth, even when that truth costs her everything.

    I am drawn to the word l’amour. Love is layered, uncontrollable, untameable. “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” love is a rebellious bird. It cannot be forced, contained, or owned. Carmen understands this. She identifies with it.

    These electronic investigations are organic and free. I never fully know what will emerge. Each experiment explores how Carmen might live inside my voice, through classical operatic mezzo sound, natural voice, spoken word, and electronic colour.

    TouchDesigner allows the visual world to destabilise and pulse unpredictably. Plug-ins become spice, like building flavour in a sauce, shifting tone, heat, and texture within the voice itself.

    This is not an attempt to recreate Carmen.

    It is an attempt to fragment her.

    To see what remains.

    How the pieces come together.

    To see where I fit.

    Carmencita en Fragmentos | Study II

    Link to Study I Love is a Bird

  • Love is a Bird

    Love is a Bird is an Electronica Fantasy piece directly inspired by the Habanera from Bizet’s opera Carmen.

    I created this work as part of my academic research at a moment where I felt ready to move beyond the expected structures of my classical vocal training. Rather than approaching the voice solely through the lens of operatic performance, I wanted to explore my creative voice in new contexts, through composition, electronic sound, audiovisual experimentation, and alternative approaches to recording.

    After many years of striving for vocal perfection and focusing on outcomes, this creative process invited something different. Here, I allowed myself to play to listen intuitively and respond emotionally to sound. I found myself asking simple but revealing questions:
    Do I like this rhythm?
    Do I like this effect?
    Does this feel right in my body and ears?

    I was curious to see whether what I imagined internally could be realised tangibly through composing. What actually unfolded was a long, immersive process of refinement: hours spent experimenting, adjusting, recording late at night when the world was quiet, and following the work wherever it led.

    I used a range of electronic plugins to shape both the soundscape and my voice. However, the most compelling discovery for me was allowing the voice to remain unfiltered toward the end of the piece. Keeping it raw and present felt important, almost an echo of Carmen herself: unapologetic, embodied, and real.

    Repeating the French word l’amour throughout the work also became a powerful gesture. Although abstract, the repetition, tone, and vocal colour seemed to communicate something beyond language. Perhaps, on some level, I was drawn to the idea that by speaking or singing this word again and again, a sense of love or kindness might be shared or amplified.

    The visual element was created using TouchDesigner, a platform I have only recently begun to explore. I worked with video material sourced from Pexels, importing it into my programming structure and experimenting with colour, movement, and transformation. The visual effects were shaped to respond rhythmically to the music, extending the sonic exploration into the visual realm.

    What excites me most about this work is the shift away from perfectionism and towards making. By prioritising curiosity and process over outcome, I continue to be surprised by what emerges. This work feels like a meaningful step in my ongoing transformation from classical singer to creative artist.

    I hope you enjoy the piece and feel the l’amour.