The writings of Belgian poet Henri Michaux (1899-1984) are tinged with surrealism. The world he conjures in his prose poem "I am writing to you from a far-off country" is viscerally disturbing in its juxtaposition of the most mundane and familiar elements of life with unnervingly alien details, "Here, we have only one sun a month, and just for a little while," "Dwarves are born here continually," "You know the story of the flea in the drawer? Yes, of course. And how true it is, don't you think?" Cellist Maya Beiser became ...
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The writings of Belgian poet Henri Michaux (1899-1984) are tinged with surrealism. The world he conjures in his prose poem "I am writing to you from a far-off country" is viscerally disturbing in its juxtaposition of the most mundane and familiar elements of life with unnervingly alien details, "Here, we have only one sun a month, and just for a little while," "Dwarves are born here continually," "You know the story of the flea in the drawer? Yes, of course. And how true it is, don't you think?" Cellist Maya Beiser became fascinated with the poem in her teens and American composer Eve Beglarian wrote a piece for her in 2006 that incorporates the poem. Beiser plays the cello and recites the 12 sections of the poem, accompanied by electronics and a wordless vocalise sung by Alexandra Montano. The original performances also included video images by Shirin Neshat, projected on nine screens placed around the cellist. The piece is hauntingly evocative and emotionally unnerving. Beglarian's music draws on...
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