Spotify Playlist of Recorded Work
Perceval (a Western Opera on Film w/ Fucked Up)
Perceval is an upcoming film co-written by David James Brock and Mike Haliechuk. The film accompanies the new Fucked Up EP The Year of the Horse Whose Name Was Perceval with lyrics by Haliechuk, story by Haliechuk & Brock, and score by the band Fucked Up. The writing of Perceval has been supported by the Harold Greenburg Fund in conjunction with Rawk Moving Pictures Inc.
Pandora (a new ballet-opera)
NOMINATED FOR TWO DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARDS - OPERA DIVISION (Outstanding Production, Outstanding Director)
Pandora was written by librettist David James Brock (Toronto, ON) with music composed by David Storen (Vancouver, BC), Joseph Glaser (Montreal, QC) and Kit Soden (Montreal, QC). The story centres around the development of a character, played by tenor Jonathan MacArthur, who stumbles upon an object and quickly gets drawn into what, and who, is inside. The piece will be directed by FAWN’s Founder and Artistic Director Amanda Smith, who is known for her visceral and visually compelling productions. Reflecting on this production’s new take on an ancient tale, Smith observes: “Although this piece isn’t directly about the myth, I imagine that in Pandora we see what happens when the jar, or box, is opened a second time. Hope and good shoots out from a place of isolation and is now mixing in with the darkness that was previously released. The result we see is humanity, with its raw contradictions and complexities.” For more details, visit the Fawn website.
Tap Ex: Metallurgy
A 2015 collaboration with Tapestry New Opera, Members of Fucked Up, and composer Ivan Barbotin. Combining elements of traditional opera, experimental new music, and punk, Tap: Ex Metallurgy explored the intersection of classical and contemporary. Visit my Press Page or the Tapestry New Opera for details about the collaboration.
With support from Wellcome Trust, librettist David James Brock and composer Gareth Williams created Breath Cycle -- a concept community opera project for people with cystic fibrosis. Each of the songs is inspired by conversations they had with participants during the project. Together with Scottish Opera and Gartnavel General Hospital's respiratory unit, the project is also exploring the effect of learning classical singing techniques and breath control on the respiratory health of Breath Cycle participants.
A sketch by composer Gareth Williams.
The Sloans Project
Composer Gareth Williams and librettist David James Brock created this site-specific promenade opera inspired by Glasgow's oldest pub, Sloans. The audience moves through the 250-year-old pub and encounters a series of scenes telling stories of love, loss, revenge and forgiveness.
Commissioned by NOISE Opera with development support from Tapestry New Opera, The Sloans Project was recently remounted for the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Scottish Arts Club.
Soprano Miranda Sinani on the shoulder of baritone Paul Keohone in the Ballroom at Sloans (Glasgow, UK). Photo credit: Neil Thomas Douglas.
Sewing the Earthworm
Commissioned by the Canadian Art Song Project, this song cycle for solo soprano and piano was composed by Brian Harman with libretto by David James Brock. This piece explores the relationship between physical health and mental illness through the character of a woman who accidentally severs an earthworm while gardening. Mirroring a fear of her own fragmentation, she decides to attach the pieces with needle and thread to save its life. The seemingly futile attempt is compounded by her desire to prove that physical control has not abandoned her, and the piece makes a rapid shift as a mental struggle takes over.
The piece premiered in March 2012 at Canadian Opera Company’s Richard Bradshaw Auditorium in Toronto. In the summer, Sewing The Earthworm was also featured in The Bicycle Opera Project's inaugural season. In 2012, the ensemble cycled throughout Ontario to Peterborough, Port Hope, Belleville, Prince Edward County, Kingston, and Gananoque.
Soprano Carla Huhtanen and pianist Steven Philcox performing Sewing the Earthworm in the Richard Bradshaw auditorium. Photo credit: Tracy Kay.
Soprano Larissa Koniuk performed Sewing the Earthworm as part of The Bicycle Opera Project's 2012 season.
Pretty Boy
Commissioned by the Paul Dresher Ensemble, this electro-acoustic song cycle for solo tenor was composed by Jack Perla with libretto by David James Brock.
The six-part song cycle, which premiered at San Francisco’s Z-Space in December 2012, focused on the last minutes in the life of the American bank robber and folk-hero Charles Pretty Boy Floyd.
