“Pestilence” (in Development)

A three part opus on the theme of culture in all senses. Using disease as a metaphor for development, dissolution, and universal change.

Masks gathered for the dramatic development in residence at Emily Harvey Foundation, Venice

Concept by Jack Waters

“Pestilence” is an operatic cycle of three full length performance works mixing dance, oratory, chorus and media driven narrative.

The structure of the epic is cyclical, with each segment circling back into itself with developmental variations on each return.

Part 1. Beginning with life in it’s simplest state: the single cell organism. we transition from complex life forms to the early development of social organization,

Part 2. Witnesses the establishment of the nation state, war and international coalitions through the advent of the industrial age.

Part 3. Digital age biochemical engineering, and the end of culture as we know it.

The first phase of the concept development was a collaboration between Jack Waters, Peter Cramer, Marc Arthur, and Inbred Hybrid Collective. “Pestilence” recently entered its current phase introducing composers, writers and visual designers to the process. This phase is driven by the narrative created by Jack Waters in residency at Yaddo.

A scene detail from "Pestilence" drawn by Jack Waters at Yaddo. In which the Scapegoat appears on a TV talk show.

Link to latest developments in the process at the Pestilence Workshop Blog

Link to the development process at the Emily Harvey Foundation residency

Link to selected early development video documentation of the Pestilence Studies