The Unicorn, The Gorgon, and the Manticore

featuring Vanderbilt Chorale

Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe first approached me about the possibility of a multimedia collaboration with Vanderbilt Choirs back in early 2018. Settling quickly on Menotti’s ‘The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore,’ we spent the following two years submitting grant proposals, commissioning artists, and workshopping concepts to create a truly multi-disciplinary work.

Slated for April 2020 in Ingram Hall, our two years of preparation had grown into a performance involving dancers (VU Pointe), visual artists (Simone Mariano, John Densk Animation), filmmakers (Continuous Motion Productions), projection/sound design (JH Productions) and the Blair orchestra, all to uplift and feature Vanderbilt’s touring choir: Chorale.

And then, COVID happened. Students were sent home three months into music rehearsals, and one week before choreography rehearsals began.

In Summer 2020, Dr. Biddlecombe reached out inquiring about the feasibility of transforming our staged version of UGM into a virtual production. We then spent Fall of 2020 making that a reality. Dr. Biddlecombe taught, conducted, recorded, and edited the audio performance of the work. While in production, I served as a distanced director, with Rachel Bell serving as my (amazing) on-site assistant. Tasks included constructing/lighting/maintaining a green screen studio, filming every choir member singing their part, and creating/utilizing a cloud-based infrastructure for uploading, drafting, and reviewing content. Once the individual performances were uploaded, I edited them together, created a 3D environment to house them in, and spent a good month rendering out the final performance on my laptop.

Below are selections from that forty-minute performance. We hope you enjoy!

Introduction

The Fifth Interlude

The Tenth Madrigal

The March to the Castle

The Twelfth Madrigal and Credits