An Evening in the Garden of Earthly Desire

Handspan was approached by Elision Contemporary Music Ensemble in 1988 to collaborate in the development of a new work that combined experimental classical music form with interpretive visual imagery.

The creative development outcome was presented in two showcase performances titled THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DESIRE after a year of occasional workshops in which artists from both companies explored their ideas around two new compositions for the music ensemble. The presentations were billed in the program notes as a taste of the fruit in the garden of earthly desire

Workshops explored the painted imagery of Hieronymous Bosch, and the medieval figures of the tarot with music of Richard Hames and Liza Lim. Both puppeteers and musicians performed in new territory, the former conducted in performance and the latter participating in roles that connected directly to the the visual threads of the performance.