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May 30, 2009

Nico Muhly's Latest Work Composed For The Nose

On May 31 and June 1, new Nico Muhly compositions will will make their way to New York's Guggenheim Museum. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the new pieces were written with Mothertongue producer Valgeir Sigurdsson for the world's first scent opera (titled "Green Aria"), created by entrepreneur Stewart Matthew and fragrance designer Christophe Laudamiel. For those curious about the genre of "scent opera," the WSJ had this to say:

"In a darkened theater, audiences will be bombarded with smells, blasted in six-second sequences by a scent 'microphone' attached to each seat. The scents tell the story of an epic struggle between nature and industry."

Valgeir's response to the idea? "I thought it was insane." We agree. All five performances of "Green Aria" are currently sold-out, so let's hope this thing doesn't stink. (Oh yeah!)


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