Lady And Bird Reveal Their Opera 'Red Waters'

Composer and Bang Gang mastermind Barði Jóhannsson has been creating fascinating and dreamy musical landscapes with the singer Keren Ann as Lady and Bird since 2003. The pair's latest creative adventure is a magical 'gothic fairytale' - an opera entitled 'Red Waters' - which premieres in France on November 4th. The opera's synopsis was developed with the Icelandic writer and sometime Björk collaborator Sjón, and we have to say we are very excited about it. Barði and Keren, it's time to take the IMX spotlight...

Lady and Bird is a fascinating collaboration. How did you first meet?
We first met in a bar in Paris. Next encounter was a writing session that has lasted on and off for 11 years.

And what inspired you to form Lady and Bird?
We found out that together we bring out something special in each other. Suddenly we became a lady & and a bird.

Your sound has been described as perfect for 'late-night wanderings into dreamland'... How would you describe Lady & Bird's sound?
We both think this is the closest to reality of what we have heard. We make the music we want to listen to, and since we like music under all its forms, we have no boundaries so we can enjoy being in a room and writing an opera as well as a pop album or a symphonic project.

We are really excited about your opera 'Red Waters' - what led to the creation of it?
We wrote a song that triggered us towards an opera. We had an idea and worked on the synopsis withSjón. After we had a few meetings and then the project got lost in space. A few years later we were commissioned by an opera house in France to work the whole thing through. We organized a writing session in Orleans and in Paris in France and finished the full libretto and the music.

'Red Waters' sounds like a big production - how different has it been to other projects you have worked on?
It has been a long process, probably our longest if we count from day one until now. Our complicity and and the way we trigger ideas in each other is just like in any other project we have, but the difference with 'Red Waters' is that we had the opportunity to write a full libretto, create characters and scenes, find out about remote towns, rituals, Greek tragedy and spiritual chants. Though we are not on stage to perform it. We have dancers, singers, choir and an orchestra on stage, we are in the audience.

Has it been strange to step back from it as it unfolds, as you are not onstage for the performances?
Definitely, but not in a bad way, just different and fun.

Do you have plans for taking it beyond France in the near future?
We have now shows in 4 different cities in France
4th. 5th. and 6th November in Rouen
9th November in Evereux
24th November in Tours
30th November in Orleans

At the moment we are looking at other dates in Europe for 2012. Our dream is to have Red Waters in Berlin, Reykjavik, London, Tel-Aviv, Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Vienna, Honolulu and more...

On a logistical level, how do you find working together considering you are both in different countries? There must be a lot of travelling involved, but I suppose these kind of international collaborations are much more possible in this magical digital age...
We have been creating together since the beginning, since the first day we met. Lady & Bird only arrive when we are in the same room at the same time.  In general Lady & Bird like technology.

Enticingly, you are referring to Red Waters as your 'first opera', so we take it there are already at least ideas germinating for the next one... we know you're probably consumed with all things Red Waters at the moment, but can you tell us what might be next or would you have to kill us?
I think it will be hard to make a sequel on Red Waters, so I guess the next one needs to remain a secret for a while. So no need to kill you for that specific reason.

Ah good. Thank you Lady and Bird!