PAJAMA OPERA
was a non-profit project that aimed to support the mental health of musicians, composers, writers, and performers during the Covid-19 quarantine period.
It was founded by Dong Zhou and Thies Mynther in March 2020.
It was an open-source project composed, performed, and produced by an online music community
All materials could be recontextualized and combined
All contributors were free to use material provided by others
All contributors were invited to perform
The duration of a single contribution was recommended not to exceed one minute
For practical and thematic reasons, performers were asked to wear pajamas or other sleepwear during online performances
All participants composed, performed, and remixed each other’s material, developing new connections between both the works and the contributors. As more and more people combined different pieces in their own ways, multiple versions of the timeline of this viral “opera” emerged.
Rather than producing a single monolithic outcome, the project sought multiple perspectives from different participants—a diversity consisting of parallel universes.
Let's face it: What we're in right now is not ending quickly. It is as global as it is domestic, a chance as much as it is catastrophic. And very counter-intuitive. Instead of physically gathering in our tribes and safe spaces to fight the slowly growing fears and concerns those of us who are privileged enough are confined to their flats and apartments with the feeling that whatever is coming starts being negotiated now while we're watching from a distance with our eyes glued to the screens. It is now still easy to say: The world won’t be the same when this ends. Maybe it won't be so easy anymore to grasp what that really means in a few months. That's why we need new ways to connect artistically and mentally. I appreciate all efforts - however weird, underdeveloped, clumsy or kitschy they may be. We all need to cope.
Right now it feels like different stages of denial lead to an asymmetry of ignorance. Maybe the old aristocracies of talent are becoming obsolete rapidly. If they don't they will adapt. Let's stay in touch. It's as simple as that. And as complicated.
Thies Mynther and Dong Zhou
Dusk Manifesto
from Pajama Opera #01
March 25, 2020
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