1st Act: THE SINGING
36 tables, 36 CD-players
an acoustic topography of the city Graz in approx. 400 individual recordings




The Singing, the 1st "act" of the Cityopera Graz, has only indirectly to do with the phenomenon of vocal expression, and is more so an extensive acoustic survey of the phenomenon 'City' (it is the city itself that sings); an encyclopedic city/sound catalogue, an urban audio library comprising 36 CDs and approx. 400 recordings from various sites in Graz.



An acoustic map of Graz: the city as sound library: the city become song. Song no longer understood as vocal expression, but as city sounds and noises, collected and documented over a 28 yearlong process. The fixed installation of this encyclopedic city-sound archive, including approximately 400 recordings on 36 cds, each cd with its own cd-player, table, and chair, was accessible live for more than 20 days in the ESC Gallery, Graz. Selections from "the Singing" serve also as starting points for the electronic playbacks in the 2nd and 7th Acts. Text: Wolfgang Hofer, translated by Bill Dietz


THE SINGING in Graz, Galery ESC; Photos 1-4: Maria Tržan, 5-8: Elvira Klamminger, Drawings: Peter Ablinger
> listen: detail from: "The Singing, Table 3, Track 1": Sporgasse, "Megaphon"-Seller, 07.02.2003, 12:35
> listen: detail from: "The Singing, Table 3, Track 7": Marienplatz, Rain, 14.05.2002, 13:50
> listen: detail from: "The Singing, Table 27, Track 2": Tramride over Main Bridge, 06.07.2004, 18:00
> listen: detail from: "The Singing, Table 30, Track 3": Turbine Hall, Power Station, Weinzödl, 13.03.2002, 12:10


(…Stad[/t]toper Graz…
-…instead of an opera, Graz…)


see also: PHONOREALISM, texts and notes, engl. and german



the 7 Acts of the Cityopera - go to:

		1st Act: THE SINGING
		2nd Act: THE ORCHESTRA
		3rd Act: THE LIBRETTO
		4th Act: THE PLOT
		5th Act: THE SET
		6th Act: THE SEATING
		7th Act: THE AUDIENCE