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Into the Shimmer Heat single work   musical theatre   opera  
Note: Libretto by Phil Thomson.
Issue Details: First known date: 2011... 2011 Into the Shimmer Heat
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Mute and angry, sixteen year old Nina flies with her mother across the vast West Australian desert in a hot air balloon. Her mother sings of her love for the huge empty land, but Nina fears and hates it and stubbornly listens to Goth-rock on her iPOD. A violent storm attacks the fragile basket. Nina escapes with a parachute, but watches in horror as the balloon is hit by lightning and her mother plummets to a fiery death.

Nina trudges through the desert, walking in circles, dancing out her anger and despair. In the detritus of the balloon she finds only her mother's champagne. Hallucinating under the effects of the alcohol, shock and hot sun, she imagines a camel rising up from the wreckage. Together they travel across the desert, becoming progressively weaker.

The spirit of Nina's mother staggers into an oasis populated by numerous people-spirits, where she is lovingly reunited with her dead husband. Thinking of Nina lost in the desert, she pleads that she be allowed to bring her to the waterhole, but the oasis is only for the dead. Ancient spirits have allowed the newcomers this paradise, but only those who have learnt to love the arid lands before they died may stay. The spirits share their stories of life and death in the wilderness and convince the new arrival to undergo a 'trial of belonging'. She succeeds, and there is great celebration.

Nina enters the oasis and collapses, only to be dragged back into the desert by the spirits. Rescued by her mother, she embraces her long-lost father. However her father knows they must send her away, for she still has a full life to lead. Nina takes the hard decision and courageously leaves to seek a new life. Source: http://shimmerheat.com.au/ (Sighted 11/10/11).

Notes

  • 'Into the Shimmer Heat' began life as an experiment in 1995 between the Nova Ensemble and Spare Parts Puppet Theatre to create an opera for young people that examined the problem of youth suicide. By the time a highly successful public workshop presentation took place in 1997, the work had evolved into a sophisticated work for adults and adolescents that examined endurance, family, love, loss, the absurdity of life in a numinous universe and the ability of newcomers to find a spiritual home in a foreign landscape. Source: http://shimmerheat.com.au/ (Sighted 11/10/11).

Production Details

  • First produced by the Nova Emsemble at the Heath Ledger Theatre, West Australian Theatre Centre, 8-15 October 2011. Musical Director: David Pye.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 2011
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Works about this Work

y separately published work icon Perth Goes 'Into the Shimmer Heat' Victoria Laurie , 2011 Z1814199 2011 single work review
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
Opera Review : Into the Shimmer Heat Rosalind Appleby , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The West Australian , 10 October 2011;
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
Lost and Found in the Desert Mark Coughlan , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian , 10 October 2011; (p. 16)
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
Lost and Found in the Desert Mark Coughlan , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian , 10 October 2011; (p. 16)
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
Opera Review : Into the Shimmer Heat Rosalind Appleby , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The West Australian , 10 October 2011;
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
y separately published work icon Perth Goes 'Into the Shimmer Heat' Victoria Laurie , 2011 Z1814199 2011 single work review
— Review of Into the Shimmer Heat Phil Thomson , 2011 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (3)
Last amended 29 May 2014 08:48:08
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