In the year marking the official 100th anniversary of Cathy Berberian\u2019s birth, a one-day symposium will celebrate the work of the American mezzo-soprano known as \u201cthe Callas of the Avant-Garde\u201d. With a view to exploring the particular crosscurrents between the performative languages that forged New Music Theatre in post-World War II Europe, we situate Berberian at the centre of pioneering vocal experimentation while always seeking wider considerations as to her place in these crosscurrents. The symposium aims to establish a dialogue between scholars and practitioners from different backgrounds and lineages including music, theatre, media, performance, opera, gender studies, practice-based and embodied research. Artistic contributions (envoicements) from artist-researchers and practitioners relevant to the topic are equally welcome as well as scholarly interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An iteration of the Embodied Monologues series (2017, 2022), the 2025 Embodied Monologues Symposium invites you to join a transdisciplinary laboratory posing the eclectic work of Cathy Berberian as a platform to pivot conversations about underrepresented performance practices and practitioners in New Music Theatre and other forms of staged vocal performance. The event will significantly foster the overlap between contemporary opera and other experimental forms of theatre with\/in music from the time, especially highlighting its legacies in the contemporary production and scholarly scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The symposium invites a range of envoicement\/presentation formats:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Submissions for proposals should be sent to the e-mail address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Francesca.Placanica@mu.ie by Friday 6th of June 2025 in a single document (preferably in PDF) including the following information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Organising Committee:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Francesca Placanica (Chair), Maynooth University
Laura Hamer, The Open University
Pamela Karantonis, Goldsmith University
Stefano Lombardi Vallauri, IULM, Italy<\/p>\n\n\n\n