Skip to content

Sound, reading and a fishing line

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Words by Giuliana Barbaro-Sant

Quintessence is best described as an immersive experience that wraps the audience in an alluring world of sound, created through the use of sampling and live electronic manipulation, a large suspended metal sheet, a fishing line, vocal phrases, and a sculptural array of found objects and acoustic instruments.

This is Maltese experimental electronic artiste and performer Renzo Spiteri’s new solo performance Quintessence and which recently premiered at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (UK) in partnership with Future Everything Festival 2015.

01_EMZ5831CMYKQuintessence is at the forefront of artistic experiments in a digital age storytelling technique that brings audiences together to discover and experience the meeting point between live performer, sound art, story, music, and digital technology. It is a piece that challenges the audience to reconsider what sound can mean and how the boundaries of self and world, performer and spectator, organic and inorganic, sound and instrument are rendered fluid and all-encompassing.

In close collaboration with Spiteri, writer and researcher Giuliana Fenech drew upon studies of sound and auditory culture to complement what the visual can do, in certain instances superseding it, in order to challenge audience perceptions about a straightforward interpretation. In a performative reading that is delivered after the show, she provokes the audience to rethink the piece, revisiting the multiple journeys that are embedded within its story.

Quintessence traces its roots to an artistic collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Music of The Hague (The Netherlands) in September 2012, when Spiteri co-led workshops. Part of the output of these creative sessions resulted in the vocal phrases, featured in Quintessence, by Leah Uijterlinde and Egle Petrošiūtė, former students at the conservatoire. 


Quintessence is presented by Open Works Lab and will be performed at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, between 29 and 31 January 2016. Tickets are available at: https://ticketengine.sjcav.org/?eventname=Quintessence

Author

More to Explore

Preserving the Past: UM Library’s Digitisation of Centuries-old Pamphlets

The University of Malta’s Library has diligently digitised historical pamphlets, some dating as far back as the 1600s, allowing students and researchers to explore battles, cultural shifts, and more through primary sources. THINK speaks with library manager Antida Mizzi to explore the commitment to safeguarding history, making it accessible for researchers and scholars dedicated to unearthing the stories that define us.

Fostering Creativity and Community: The ART Connect Project at the University of Malta Library

Discover how the University of Malta Library is not just a repository of knowledge, but a hub of creativity and collaboration. The ART Connect Project infuses art into this academic space, bringing vibrancy and engagement to its community. In this article, delve into the initiative’s aspirations, the fostering of a holistic environment, and the transformative power of artistic expression within the university setting.

Meeting Challenges Halfway at the Malta Book Festival 2023

Delve into Malta’s burgeoning book scene, boasting 58 publishing entities and a wealth of authors. Uncover the challenges and endeavours championed by the National Book Council. Join us at the Malta Book Festival from October 18-22 at MFCC, Ta’ Qali, for an exciting literary voyage.

No comment yet, add your voice below!


Add a Comment