Quintessence

Quintessence:
One Hero's Journey

In this staged musical allegory, the characters Hero and Hope are one and the same. The voice of Hope is Hero’s voice. Hero’s physical actions are Hope made manifest.
 
Earth, Wind, Fire and Wind, the four elements, hold dual representations: A scaffold for the themes of climate crisis and the resultant destructive events. An expression of the four classical elements as well as an interpretation of the Buddhist practice using the elements as metaphor for suffering and as an object of meditation. Our Hero must move through the elements in order to reach Quintessence.

After the Tremor, After the Flood, After the Fire
and After the Hurricane are responses from the voice of Hope the Hero to help navigate Hero’s path.
 
Fracture and After the Fire are two sides of the same coin. The former expresses the weight of the mundane – as the Shadow invades, daily tasks like getting up, dressing and eating seem insurmountable obstacles – while the latter expresses the weightlessness of the mundane – the simple pleasures of daily tasks and the blissful banality of delicious leftovers.

These videos are a combination of the concept album recording and, when possible, include video footage of the staged production originally presented at the Capitol Theatre in Nelson, BC in October 2020.
 
 

 

 

 

Birdsong

Hero and Hope comprise a singularity – physical form and soul’s voice united. Each birdcall is accompanied by a gesture of Hope.

Translation of Latin birdcalls:

Aurora – daybreak
Mane Lumin – morning light
Ortus – sunrise (birth, origin)
Eous – of the dawn
Lux – light
Stellam Matutinam – morning star
E Tenebris in Lucem – out of darkness, light

Fracture

Thoughts of divisive rhetoric and climate crisis infiltrate and overwhelm Hero’s mind. Hero traces the familiar path of disconnection – from nature, from others, from self – as the Shadow insinuates itself into the soul and Hope is obscured.

French translation by Garry Girvan.

Earth

The ancestors appear from behind the veil between worlds. Afraid and unable to understand their presence as alliance, the best Hero can do is endure the event until their departure.

Choreography – Sláva Doval

 

After the Tremor

The voice of Hope reminds Hero of the strength of trees, the freedom and love borne on the wings of a moth and the gentle influence of moonlight.

Hero recalls another gesture of Hope which illuminates the key to unlock the second element.

Ewe translation by Clementine Segbeaya.

Water

The Ancestors return. Encouraged by the song of Hope, Hero attempts to engage with the Ancestors but ultimately misconstrues their action as threat. Hero struggles and is then submerged by the elemental force. The Ancestors depart.

Choreography – Allison Girvan, Hiromoto Ida, Sláva Doval

After the Flood

The voice of Hope reminds Hero of the connection between sky and earth and the power of reflection. Hero recalls another gesture of Hope which illuminates the key to unlock the third element.

Persian translation by Alan Danesh

Fire

The Ancestors return. Hero has learned from the previous elements and watches the Ancestors as they each guide a firefly through flight. In wonder, Hero follows the fireflies in an attempt to catch them until there remains only one. Before departing, the last Ancestor allows Hero to capture the firefly which Hero holds for a moment before releasing it and watching it fly up and away.

Choreography – Allison Girvan

After the Fire

The voice of Hope reminds Hero of sunlight, quotidian pleasures and the song of a bee. Hero recalls another gesture of Hope which unlocks the key to the fourth element.

After the Fire is a spoken piece that holds the comfort of a parent telling a child a bedtime story except here told to Hero by the voice of Hope at the breaking of dawn. The Maker is referred to by “they/them” pronouns. This story is the acknowledgement of the divine within each of us.

In this video, the key to the subsequent element is shown at the end of the piece. The Maker is heard whistling the tune of the bee as they begin their fishing expedition. The Maker lowers a fishing hook. Hero, although curious, does not take the bait. The Maker reels in their line and switches to a more compelling lure – a phone – and lowers their line again. Hungry for connection, Hero takes this bait. Feeling the tug on the line, The Maker attempts to reel Hero in. Hero resists and eventually the line breaks. Hero is the one that got away.

Choreography – Sláva Doval

Wind

The Ancestors return. Hero attempts to connect with one then another and another with no response. After feeling sure that the path would be clear from here on out, Hero experiences the shock of renewed struggle. As Hero strains against the perpetual motion of the Ancestors, Hero’s suffering is as profound as it was at the beginning. Just as despair is beginning to manifest, Hero stops fighting and, channeling all his recollection of gestures of Hope, turns to move in the same direction as the Ancestors. In so doing, all movement slows then stops. The Ancestors leave one by one until at last, Hope is revealed to Hero.

Choreography/movement –  Allison Girvan, Hiromoto Ida

After the Hurricane

The voice of Hope invites Hero to rise above temporal bonds and contemplate the infinite.

Japanese translation by Osamu Yamaguchi

Birdsong 2.0

The voice and body are reunited – Hero and Hope are bound through struggle and despite the awareness of future challenge. The Ancestors surround them in a moment out of time when the veil between the worlds is lifted and all becomes one.

Translation of Latin birdcalls:

Aurora – daybreak
Mane Lumin – morning light
Ortus – sunrise (birth, origin)
Eous – of the dawn
Lux – light
Stellam Matutinam – morning star
E Tenebris in Lucem – out of darkness, light

Tabula Rasa – Bridge Builder

Hero/Hope complete the journey and discover another Hero enveloped in despair having forgotten Hope. Hero/Hope offer the wisdom gained as a boon to the new Hero who must discover how to walk the path on her own. The Ancestors appear briefly from behind the veil between worlds. Hero/Hope depart.

Coda: The new Hero remembers a simple gesture of Hope and begins her journey.
Aurora – daybreak

Production

 Story and lyrics by Allison Girvan
Original composition by Don Macdonald and Allison Girvan
Featuring Hiromoto Ida, Allison Girvan and Lalin Vocal Ensemble
Choreography by Hiromoto Ida, Slava Doval, Allison Girvan
Lighting by Olivia Bogaard
Costumes by Laurie Jarvis and Kyla Hurst
Projection by Brian Webb
Graphic Design and Marketing by Shannon Lythgoe