BREATH CYCLE
With support from Wellcome Trust, composer Gareth Williams and librettist David James Brock created Breath Cycle -- a concept community opera project for people with cystic fibrosis. Each song is inspired by conversations they had with participants during the project.
Together with Scottish Opera and Gartnavel General Hospital's respiratory unit, the project is also exploring the effect of learning classical singing techniques and breath control on the respiratory health of Breath Cycle participants. Dr Gordon MacGregor and Dr Rachel Drury expect to publish their research this year.
Due to a high risk of infection, people with cystic fibrosis can't physically spend time together. With this in mind, most of this project is being developed and presented online. Breath Cycle considers how participants can interact safely with each other, using the internet as a place to meet, learn and build a community. Voices were recorded individually and put together through video and sound editing.
Visit the Breath Cycle website to learn more.
“Until the Glass Shatters was a devastating, beautiful and haunting piece” — David Smyth
Read the full review on the bachtrack website.
Five ways of Looking at Fire in the Dark
The singers in this film all have cystic fibrosis. The piece is part of Breath Cycle, a documentary opera created by composer Gareth Williams, with librettist David Brock. The opera is informed by and performed by people with cystic fibrosis in Glasgow, and a study to measure the effects of singing on the well being of people with cystic fibrosis was carried out as part of of the project.
The composer's wish was "to create a community music project for a community who can't be together."
The Breathing Field
Many of the singers in this film have cystic fibrosis, performing here with their vocal coach Marie Claire Breen.
The piece is part of Breath Cycle, a documentary opera created by composer Gareth Williams, with librettist David Brock. The opera is informed by and performed by people with cystic fibrosis in Glasgow, and a study to measure the effects of singing on the well being of people with cystic fibrosis was carried out as part of of the project.
The composer's wish was "to create a community music project for a community who can't be together."
The Ted Talk
Listen to the composer's thoughts on Breath cycle in his TedTalk
