Our Dark Side and The Moon: a night time duet

Commission from the Royal Opera House

About

Elayce was commissioned by the Royal Opera House to create a new piece of digital opera for online audiences as part of 8 BIT, a series of eight newly-commissioned operatic experiences made by contemporary artists.

Elayce’s piece, OUR DARK SIDE AND THE MOON, is an anti-lullaby that meditates on our relationship to the Moon. It was an audio experience made for the end of lockdown as a bridge between the world inside our homes and the world outside. Inspired by the Moon and recent Mars landings, and reflecting on the human desire to explore, exploit and colonise, this night time duet asked audiences to look, to listen, to dream and to question.

Elayce wrote the libretto and collaborated with composer John Barber and soprano Nazan Fikret, who voices The Moon alongside Elayce’s narration.

For more information about OUR DARK SIDE AND THE MOON and the 8 BIT series, please visit the Royal Opera House website here.

Creative Team

Creator and Librettist: Elayce Ismail
Composer: John Barber

Recorded and mixed by: Giuseppe Lubrano
Mastered by: Jack Ross
Animation: Jane Quan

Cast

Narrator: Elayce Ismail
The Moon: Nazan Fikret

Orchestra

ORCHESTRA OF THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
Conductor: Christopher Willis
Viola: Judith Busbrige
Cello: Hetty Snell
Clarinet: Fergus Morrison
Percussion: Nigel Charman and Simon Archer