Exploration of Mars - Discussion with Jennifer Walshe on her celebrated cosmic opera
Jennifer Walshe, an Irish composer, has captivated audiences with her opera "MARS," a conceptual masterpiece that reflects the astronaut experience, particularly Chris Hadfield's time in space. The opera, which had its acclaimed World Premiere at this year's Galway International Arts Festival, is two hours long and will run at the Abbey Theatre in August.
Walshe's fascination with Mars began as a child, gazing at photos of the red planet in a copy of Carl Sagan's Cosmos. This early interest in Mars has been the driving force behind her exploration of the Martian environment through sound and experience in "MARS."
To create an immersive and restrained experience that mirrors the feeling of being in space or on Mars, Walshe undertook extensive research. She spent weeks delving into the sonic environment inside a spacesuit and simulating Martian gravity. Intriguingly, she even considered tying balloons to a double bass bow to simulate Martian gravity's effects on musical instruments.
Walshe's research also extended to various sources, including NASA's Perseverance rover, mission transcripts from the Gemini and Apollo missions, and the music astronauts listen to aboard the International Space Station. Spacewalk livestreams were left playing in the corner of her studio while she worked on the opera.
The opera also incorporates recordings of whistlers, plasma waves, and cosmic background radiation, as well as sonifications of light curves of exoplanets millions of miles away. These elements contribute to the unique soundscape of "MARS."
In addition to the physical and sonic conditions of Mars and space travel, Walshe also considered the communication challenges astronauts face. In the context of the opera, communication with loved ones back home is limited to text messages and voicemails.
"MARS" is a collaborative effort, with a libretto by Mark O'Connell. The opera discusses the potential degradation of a trumpet in a Martian habitat, a topic Walshe previously explored on the Space Exploration Stack Exchange.
Walshe's dedication to her craft is evident in the intricate details and meticulous research that have gone into creating "MARS." As Composer Jennifer Walshe introduces Irish National Opera's production of her opera, audiences can look forward to an immersive and thought-provoking experience that transports them to the red planet.
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Walshe's enthusiasm for space-and-astronomy, as sparked by Carl Sagan's books, led her to create an opera, "MARS", blending science with music and entertainment. In her composition process, she delved into various sources, such as NASA's Perseverance rover, astronaut music from the International Space Station, and even simulated Martian gravity's effects on musical instruments.
