la Voix Humaine

concert for piano and soprano

soprano: Evelyne Bohen
piano: Stéphane de May
scenography/video: Toon Van Ishoven
premier: Nov 2008

La Voix Humaine is a musical monologue for soprano and piano by Francis Poulenc, based on Jean Cocteau's text.
The concert feayured Evelyne Bohen,soprano and Stéphane de May, piano, combined with videoprojection.

"For the videoprojections accompanying la Voix Humaine I used stairs as a visual element and as a metaphor for a woman who is emotionally "falling down". That is also why almost every shot in extreme slow motion shows a downward movement. To me, the thought of Marcel Duchamp's painting "Nu descandant un escalier" was an important starting point.
I loved the combination of video as a technical and artificial medium on one hand, and the natural sound of the opera singer on the other hand. I think one intensified the other. " (TVI, 09)

The images were projected from behind on a set of suspended plates suggesting a large window.