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Three Principles of Noir

instrumentation: amplified voice (C3 – D5), pre-recorded electronics and chamber orchestra (1111/1111/vibes/piano/strings)
duration: 30 minutes
written in: 2016–18
written for: Meaghan Burke and the American Composers Orchestra 
text: Alex Temple

"Brilliant and zany."

—Corinna da Fonseca-Wilhelm (The New York Times)

I used to spend a lot of time on film messageboards. One day, after watching a bunch of movies featuring sharp-tongued PIs and ill-conceived murder plots, I came up with what I called the three principles of noir:


1. The Double Indemnity principle: it doesn’t matter how well you plan it; you won’t get away with it.
2. The Detour principle: it doesn’t matter whether you actually did it or not; you still won’t get away with it.
3. The In a Lonely Place principle: it doesn’t matter whether you actually did it or not, cause you’re a bad person anyway.

In this monodrama (or is it a musical?), a historian with a grudge tells the story of her fall from grace — a story that includes a killer, a kiss, a corrupt cop, time travel, stolen research, the pressures of patriarchy, and the 1893 World’s Fair. By the end, she’s been persuaded to believe in all three principles. Do you think she’s right?

download libretto (pdf)
download score (pdf)

Three Principles of Noir was commissioned by American Composers Orchestra with support from the MAP Fund, a program of Creative Capital, the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust.

Listen

Excerpt from the final song, “Pastorale”
Meaghan Burke, voice
American Composers Orchestra (George Manahan, cond.)
Amber Treadway, director
Storm Garner, costume designer
Live at Zankel Hall, 11.2.18

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