Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This operatic scene is adapted directly from Hal Schrieve’s graphic novel 'Vivian’s Ghost'. Vivian is a dead transgender teenager; Leon is a journalist writing scaremongering articles about transgender teenagers. Appearing as a ghost, Vivian attempts to coerce Leon into acting as his instrument of murderous revenge on his ex from high school. While the expressive forthrightness of the text lent itself naturally to lyrical writing, the composer also looks to develop an explicit relationship between noisy musical stylistic devices and a queer sense of absurdity and emotional messiness.
Vivian’s Ghost, by Hal Schrieve, was self-published in 2022-23 via the author’s Instagram and itch.io webpages, and republished in a physical edition by Go Press Girl in 2024. The text has been used with the author’s permission.
Performed by Elias Nguyen (voice: Vivian), Sadie Lynch (voice: Vivian), Zia Ravenscroft (actor: Vivian), William McElwee (voice: Leon), Lucky Pollock (flute), Mallory Elmo (clarinet), Miru Shimaoka (violin) and Annabelle Thorpe (viola) at the Lilburn Trust / NZSM Composers Competition, Hunter Council Chamber, 4 October 2025.
Audio engineered by Thorin Williams and mixed/mastered by Graham Kennedy. Filmed and edited by Chris Watson for SOUNZ. Film funded by NZ On Air.
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Learn more about the composers and performers of music from Aotearoa New Zealand on our website (sounz.org.nz), or by following us on Facebook (@SOUNZnz), Instagram (@sounz_nz), or TikTok (@sounz_nz).
#nzmusic
This operatic scene is adapted directly from Hal Schrieve’s graphic novel 'Vivian’s Ghost'. Vivian is a dead transgender teenager; Leon is a journalist writing scaremongering articles about transgender teenagers. Appearing as a ghost, Vivian attempts to coerce Leon into acting as his instrument of murderous revenge on his ex from high school. While the expressive forthrightness of the text lent itself naturally to lyrical writing, the composer also looks to develop an explicit relationship between noisy musical stylistic devices and a queer sense of absurdity and emotional messiness.
Vivian’s Ghost, by Hal Schrieve, was self-published in 2022-23 via the author’s Instagram and itch.io webpages, and republished in a physical edition by Go Press Girl in 2024. The text has been used with the author’s permission.
Performed by Elias Nguyen (voice: Vivian), Sadie Lynch (voice: Vivian), Zia Ravenscroft (actor: Vivian), William McElwee (voice: Leon), Lucky Pollock (flute), Mallory Elmo (clarinet), Miru Shimaoka (violin) and Annabelle Thorpe (viola) at the Lilburn Trust / NZSM Composers Competition, Hunter Council Chamber, 4 October 2025.
Audio engineered by Thorin Williams and mixed/mastered by Graham Kennedy. Filmed and edited by Chris Watson for SOUNZ. Film funded by NZ On Air.
--
Learn more about the composers and performers of music from Aotearoa New Zealand on our website (sounz.org.nz), or by following us on Facebook (@SOUNZnz), Instagram (@sounz_nz), or TikTok (@sounz_nz).
#nzmusic
