Alexis Gideon will be performing the third installment in his critically-acclaimed multimedia opera series,
Video Musics III: Floating Oceans
across the US and Europe in the Fall of 2012.
Video Musics III: Floating Oceans
is a 38-minute stop-motion animation video opera based on the works of the early 20th century Irish writer Lord Dunsany, and inspired by the time and dream experiments of the Irish physicist John William Dunne.
Floating Oceans
contrasts the vivid dreams of its poet-protagonist with the foreboding routine of pedestrian life. Parts operate under the tow of dream logic. All dialogue and narration are expressed through lyrics and music performed live in front of the projected video. The piece explores non-linear and traditional linear narrative, and uses the musical meters of modern classical, hip-hop, ambient, and psychedelia. The piece is dedicated to Flann O’Brien.
Gideon has been called “a singular visionary, creating multimedia opuses that have no peer” (
The Portland Mercury
). The Confucius Institute of SUNY Stony Brook specially recognized Gideon for his thoughtful integration of ancient texts with hyper-modern expressive elements. His pieces have been translated into Spanish, French, Italian, German and Chinese, and have been performed in ten countries. Gideon studied at New York City’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts, and under the mentorship of Anthony Braxton at Wesleyan University.