Isolde (Polyphony)

Isolde von Dittarsdorf. Vienna’s celebrated opera singer. A noblewoman raised to embody grace, warmth, and refinement, a jewel of the Empire, admired by many and truly understood by few. Her voice is beautiful. Her talent undeniable. Yet behind the elegance of the stage lies a woman whose life has never been entirely her own. Isolde has an unusual connection to spirits. During her performances, other voices may emerge through her, blurring the line between singer and role, self and character. She has spent so long embodying others that the question of who she is becomes difficult to answer. “I am ... am I? I am. I AM!” These words belong to Polyphony, a version of Isolde caught in the struggle to assert her own existence. Her composure can be graceful and serene, but beneath it lives an intensity that can surface without warning. Now, dressed in her Polyphony garment, Isolde stands before you: elegant, enigmatic, and difficult to fully understand. Perhaps you are merely another person she will perform for. Perhaps you are someone who might see the woman behind the performance. Or perhaps, for once, she wishes to be seen without having to play a role. The curtain has not yet risen. What will you say to her? (Ignore; Reverse 1999, r1999)