Kickstarter

AN ADVENTURE IN ROMANTIC PSYCHEDELIA

is a mutli-media production which was presented at the NY Open Center by the NYC based chamber music ensemble Vista Lirica on December 11 and 16, 2011. The work is mélange of 3 media:

ETA Hoffmann's tale:  'A New Year's Eve Adventure'*;
music of Robert Schumann (Fantasy Pieces; Song Cycle and Narrated Tales);
video graphics by Onomé Ekeh;

and also You, the Travelling Enthusiast who takes this journey with us.

Themes inherent in the music and literature of Romanticism, such as magic, multi-dimensionality, light play: mirrors, doppelgänger, reflections and shadows are highlighted and the video treatment enhances the connective thread.

Our goal:  promotional DVD with narration, music videos and presenting wonderful classical music in a context to extend our audience beyond concert goers.  There are some clips in the video posted in this section and look for the extended preview: www.youtube.com/NRynston (Schumann Fantasy Pieces)

also, please visit www.vistalirica.com/concerts.php, please visit other pages
such as www.vistalirica.com/bios.php
www.vistalirica.com/mission.html
on the site to get a background of what Vista Lirica is all about.

The musicians of Vista Lirica are joined by actor Stephen Park (Do the Right Thing, Dumb Waiter, Fargo, A Serious Man) who narrates selections of Hoffmann's work.

The project was coaxed forth after having attended the Horizons Conference (2010).  At this conference, psychedelia is discussed from the research and experiences of scientists and shamans alike, all of whom take this subject quite seriously. At one point in the conference, I raised my hand and found myself giving a short talk about the Romantic movement of the 19th c. - Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Hoffmann and Schumann.  This 'spiel' made a strong impression and the subject matter clearly holds its own in discussions on expanded consciousness, ayahuasca, and how all of this relates to deep ecology.  (OK don't get me started!  see our web site!). Several Horizon keynote speakers approached me with great interest, and I decided to take the next step, which is this project. Fortunately, I have some amazingly talented colleagues who are willing to make this a true collaboration.  

Historically, it's easy to trace the thread from early Romanticism to Art Deco and then 60's psychedelia. Hoffmann and Schumann may have written an original hitchhiker's guide to the universe, and in this spirit, we so embark on this project.  They inspired many contemporary artists, and  esp., in the case of ETA, filmmakers.  *And ETA wrote a lot more than The Nutcracker!!