verballing (2020)
image: Patrick Moynihan
“Every one of the “shots” hits home. James Joyce might well have called them epiphanies…exemplary music-making…”
★★★★★ — The Guardian
“The black-and-white short film explores subtle workforce bullying, with shades of anti-Traveller racism. Soprano Amy Ní Fhearraigh sings the young garda role with escalating panic. Clever and punchy, this is also very funny…first-rate work visually, musically and dramatically”
— Irish Independent
“a well-constructed and imaginative work…a fine example of how video can be used to alter the form of opera”
— Operawire
a short video opera in five acts [6’]
written for Irish National Opera’s 20 Shots of Opera
music — David Coonan
libretto — Carys D. Coburn
roles & instrumentation
Amy, a Garda (soprano) / projected text
fl / cl / hrn / tpt / trom / perc (single player: vib, glock, crotales [C5-C6], woodblocks) / pno / vln / vla / vc / db
details
commissioned by William and Catherine Earley for Irish National Opera’s 20 Shots of Opera — recorded and filmed by Irish National Opera in November, 2020, and first released online in December, 2020
links
carys d. coburn | programme booklet | 20 Shots website | rté article
note
A Garda is coached on how to answer awkward questions. It's awkward. Awkward question for you: what's the difference between answering truthfully and telling the truth? Another one: what's the difference between self-defence and pre-emptive offence? Last one, promise: do you trust Gardaí always know the difference?
video
Amy Ní Fhearraigh
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
Fergus Sheil
Caitriona McLaughlin
Hugh O’Conor
Patrick Moynihan (designer & storyboarder)
Sarah Benson, Patrick Moynihan, & Owen Peurois (animators)
cast & creatives
Amy, a Garda
orchestra
conductor
director
series director
animators