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Chagas, Paulo C. (b. August 31, 1953, Salvador, Bahía). Brazilian-born Belgian-German composer, now resident in the USA, of mostly stage, chamber, choral, electroacoustic, and multimedia works that have been performed throughout the Americas and Europe.
Mr. Chagas initially studied at the Universidade de São Paulo from 1973–79 and later with Henri Pousseur at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Liège from 1980–82, as well as electronic music at the Musikhochschule Köln from 1982–89. He earned his PhD at the Université de Liège in 2003.
His honors include a prize from the First National Composition Competition in Rio de Janeiro (1977, for Webern: de tempos em tempos), the prize for l'Opéra Autrement from the Centre Acanthes (1989, for Oddort) and selection to the IAMIC Annual List (2001, for Bonfim). Among his recent commissions are ones from the Ars Musica, the Moscow Autumn, the MusikTriennale, and the Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik festivals, as well as from the Bonner Entwicklungswerkstatt für Computermedien, the National Theater Weimar, the Oper Bonn, the Theaterhaus Stuttgart, and WDR.
Mr. Chagas is also active in other positions. He worked as sound director of the electronic music studio at WDR from 1990–99, where he conducted extensive research into algorithmic composition, computer and electronic music, interactivity, multimedia, and sound spatialization. There he also wrote music software and special computer applications for analysis and composition. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of CRFMW (Centre de Recherches et Formation Musicales de Wallonie) in Liège since 1998 and has been an invited guest at many international festivals in Europe and the USA.
He taught as a visiting lecturer at the Université de Liège from 1991–93 and at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Liège in 1995–96. He has taught technology and music as Assistant Professor of Composition at the University of California at Riverside since 2004.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: paulo.chagas@ucr.edu
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Eshu (music theatre work, texts by the composer, Bettina Zacher), 4 actress-voices, dancer, baritone saxophone, 4 percussion, 4-track tape, slide projections, 1984; Baiser (text by the composer), actress, actor, 2-track tape, 1985; Ellipse, mime/dancer, 2-track tape, 1986; Peep Show (music theatre work, texts by the composer, Bettina Zacher, Stephanie Mühle, Horst Tonmeyer), voice, actress-voice, mime/dancer, alto saxophone (+ tenor saxophone), trumpet, bass guitar, synthesizer, drumkit, 2-track tape, slide/film projections, 1985–87 (three sections may be performed separately: Pornokabel, actor, 2-track tape, slide/film projections, 1985; Du bist ein Schwein, actress-voice, drumkit, 2-track tape, 1985; Magisches Auge, actress, actor, 2-track tape, 1985; four sections may be performed separately as concert works: Fais-moi peur; Computer I; Computer II; Computer III); Vom Kriege III (chamber opera, libretto by the composer, Bettina Zacher, after Ernst Jünger, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti), baritone, actor, dancer, mixed chorus, piano, 2 percussion, 2 electronic percussion (both + synthesizer), 4-track tape, 1984–89; Oddort (chamber opera, libretto by the composer, after Louis-Ferdinand Céline), tenor, 2 baritones, bass, actress, actor, soprano saxophone (+ tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone), trumpet, trombone, violin, double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 4-track tape, 1988–89; Shango-Kultmusik, dancer, 2 percussion, 4-track tape, computer, 1989; Vom Kriege I (chamber opera, libretto by the composer, Bettina Zacher, after Ernst Jünger), baritone, piano (1-2 players), 4-track tape, 1984–90
STAGE: Sodoma (dance music, text from the Bible, choreography by Cláudio Bernardo), 5 mixed voices, 3 percussion, 16 strings, 7-track tape, 1991 (a concert suite was arranged; three sections may be performed separately as concert works: Leçon des voyelles; Sal; Découverte du corps; also concert versions of four sections: Atabaques, 3 percussion; Garotos, 4 percussion; Pas de deux, violin, cello; Trabalhos I, 7 percussion [also version as Trabalhos II, 8 percussion]); Raptus (dance music, choreography by Cláudio Bernardo), dancer, 2 percussion, 4-track tape, computer, 1992; Francis Bacon (dance music, texts by Francis Bacon, T.S. Eliot, choreography by Johann Kresnik, Ismael Ivo), soprano, countertenor, baritone, percussion, string quartet, 2-track tape, 1993 (23 sections may be performed separately as concert works: Film; Dance with Blanket; Men's Love Blanket; Handicapped 2; Meat; George Dyer; Distortion/Self-portrait; Pope; Empty Space; Birthing; Prison; Men's Love; Knife/Violation; Lonely/Two Bodies; Shaving; Scotchtape 1; Scotchtape 2; Flowers; Handicapped 1; Handicapped 3; Sitting; Love; Foolish King); Der Fluss (chamber opera/scenic oratorio, text by Simone Rist, after João Cabral de Melo Neto), mezzo-soprano, baritone, bass, 3 speakers, actor, percussion, string quartet, 8-track tape, 1994 (one section may be performed separately as a concert work: Rio, Intermezzo 3)
STAGE: Observation Suite (sceneries, choreography by James Saunders), computer, computer animation (by Aeldrik Pander, Jelske Kloppenburg), film (by Inge Kamps), 1996; Capivara (ballet music, choreography by Lina do Carmo), 2-track tape, 1997; Artaud (Fremd im eigenen Körper: Auswanderungen zu Antonin Artaud) (ballet music, choreography by Ismael Ivo), 2-track tape, 1997; RAW (Vom Kriege II) (techno-opera, libretto by the composer, after Ernst Jünger, Carl von Clausewitz, traditional Yoruba poetry), coloratura soprano, soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, dancer, 3 synthesizers, 3 percussion, live electronics, 1999; Visions machine, mime, percussion, 2 8-track tapes, 2000; Canções dos olhos (choreography by Veronica Endo), female dancer, computer, film (by Johannes Birringer), 2005 (longer version of vocal work)
ORCHESTRAL: La Passion selon Guignol (texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Gérard de Nerval, Christopher Marlowe, William Blake, Michel Butor), 4 amplified mixed voices, large orchestra (86 players), 4 ring modulators, reverberation, 1982 (collaboration with Henri Pousseur); Eshu: la porte des enfers, 3 Afro-Brazilian percussion, large orchestra (66 players), 4-track tape, 1983; Sodoma, 5 mixed voices, 3 percussion, 16 strings, 2-track tape/computer, 1991 (concert suite from dance work); Luzes, small orchestra (15 players), 1992; Nuit-lumière, small orchestra (12-13 players), computer, 1995 (collaboration with Jean-Marc Sullon); Migration, MIDI-piano, small orchestra (15 players), 13-track tape, computer, 1995–97; Elegba, percussion, symphonic band, 2001; Radiance, large orchestra (83 players), 2004
CHAMBER MUSIC: Webern: de tempos em tempos, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, vibraphone, 1976; A Vladimir Maiakovski I, flute, piano, 1977–78; A Vladimir Maiakovski II, flute, piano, 1978; Harpa Esquisita, 2 double basses, 1979; É o silêncio, alto recorder, 1979; Recitativo, viola da gamba, 1980; Capriccio, natural horn/French horn, 1980; Canzona I, double bass, piano, 1981; Intérieurs: tableaux, flute, cello, piano, 1982; Motet: Illibata Dei Virgo Nutrix, French horn, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, 1982; Lamento, clarinet, 1984; Ashe, 4 percussion, 4-track tape, 1984 (also version without 4 percussion); Garotos, 4 percussion, 1991 (concert version of section of Sodoma); Atabaques, 3 percussion, 1991 (concert version of section of Sodoma); Pas de deux, violin, cello, 1991 (concert version of section of Sodoma); Trabalhos I, 7 percussion, 1991, revised 2003 (concert version of section of Sodoma; also version as Trabalhos II, 8 percussion, 2003); Triptych, harp, 1991; Rumores I, 2 percussion, 1992; Transaparência, 3 trumpets, 2-track tape, 1992; Rumores II, 2 percussion, 1993; Film, percussion, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Dance with Blanket, cello, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Men's Love Blanket, violin, viola, cello, percussion, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Handicapped 2, string quartet, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Meat, percussion, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); George Dyer, violin, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Distortion/Self-portrait, percussion, string quartet, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Pope, soprano, countertenor, baritone, percussion, string quartet, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work)
CHAMBER MUSIC: Rio, Intermezzo 3, percussion, 3-/8-track tape, 1994 (section of Der Fluss; may be performed separately as a concert work); Bonfim, 2 percussion, 2-/8-track tape, 1994; Fragment, double bass, 1995; Un invisible laberinto de tiempo, oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), trombone, viola, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 1996; Mutações, 2 percussion, 8-track tape, 1996; Festa do Bonfim, 3 percussion, 8-track tape, 1997; Rumores III, 2 percussion, 1998, revised 2003; Migration II, violin, computer ad libitum, 1998–99; Spheres I: soap bubbles, bass clarinet, marimba, 2000; Spheres II: intimacy, harp, guitar, 2001
CHORAL: Three Pieces for Children's Choir (text by Cecília Meireles), 1975; Rios sem discurso (text by João Cabral de Melo Neto), mixed chorus, 1978; Lygia's Fingers (text by Augusto de Campos), soprano, 8 mixed voices, vibraphone, 1979–80; Do you love me II (text by Ronald D. Laing), 5 mixed voices, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, 2 trumpets, trombone, synthesizer, drumkit, percussion, 1984; Sal, 5 mixed voices, 1991 (section of Sodoma; may be performed separately as a concert work); Cores (text by the composer), mixed chorus, 1992; Leçon des voyelles, 5 mixed voices, 3-track tape, 1992 (section of Sodoma; may be performed separately as a concert work); Aboio (text by Augusto de Campos), 4 amplified mixed voices, 1995
VOCAL: Air: up into the silence (text by E.E. Cummings), alto, 2-track tape, 1981; Do you love me I (text by Ronald D. Laing), 3 sopranos, 5 trombones, 1983; Immer wieder (text by Bertolt Brecht), soprano, double bass/bass guitar/bass synthesizer, 1983; Découverte du corps, 3 female voices, 1991 (section of Sodoma; may be performed separately as a concert work); Empty Space, countertenor, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Knife/Violation (text by Francis Bacon), soprano, countertenor, baritone, percussion, string quartet, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Scotchtape 1 (text by T.S. Eliot), soprano, countertenor, baritone, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Handicapped 1 (text by T.S. Eliot), soprano, countertenor, baritone, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Handicapped 3 (text by Francis Bacon), soprano, countertenor, baritone, percussion, string quartet, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Love (text by Francis Bacon), soprano, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Initium (text by Paul Verlaine), soprano, flute (+ alto flute), cello, piano, drumkit, 1997; Der blaue Raum (texts by Novalis, Haroldo de Campos), female speaker, computer/2-track tape, 2001; Canções dos olhos (text by the composer), mezzo-soprano, cello, piano, 2005 (also longer stage version)
PIANO: Variações, 1978; Uma Memória e Memória, 1979; Préludes I-IV, 1991; Prélude V, 2 pianos, 1991 (also version for piano, tape, 1991)
ORGAN: Fogo, 1995
ELECTROACOUSTIC: Ashe, 4-track tape, 1984 (version of chamber work); Fais-moi peur, 2-track tape, 1985 (section of Peep Show; may be performed separately as a concert work); Computer I, 2-track tape, 1985 (section of Peep Show; may be performed separately as a concert work); Computer II, 2-track tape, 1985 (section of Peep Show; may be performed separately as a concert work); Computer III, 2-track tape, 1985 (section of Peep Show; may be performed separately as a concert work); Ellipse, 2-track tape, 1986; Machine de Vision, any number of voices/instruments ad libitum, 2-track tape, 1991 (one section may be performed separately: Véhicule dynamique); Birthing, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Prison, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Men's Love, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Lonely/Two Bodies, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Shaving, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Scotchtape 2, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Flowers, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Sitting, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Foolish King, 2-track tape, 1993 (section of Francis Bacon; may be performed separately as a concert work); Migration, 2-/8-/12-track tape, 1996; Transe, 2-track tape, 1997; Projektion, 2-/8-/12-track tape, 2000; Ave Maria (sound space motet), 3 female voices, computer, 2001; Streaming, 2-track tape, 2001; Einblick II, 2-track tape, 2002; In-sein/Ausser-sein, 2-/8-track tape, 2003
MULTIMEDIA: Rasender Stillstand (performance piece), player, computer, lights (by Lu Mettelsiefen), 1992; The Book of Air (interactive environment), computer, holography (by Doris Vila), film (by Doris Vila), film projector, 1993; Global Village – Hidden Pathways (interactive music theatre work, text by Doris Vila), female voice, computer, holography (by Doris Vila), film (by Doris Vila), film projector, 1993; The Journey, DVD (with film projector), 1995 (collaboration with Inge Kamps); Einblick, DVD (with film projector), 1995 (collaboration with Inge Kamps); Observation Environment (interactive environment), computer animation (by Aeldrik Pander, Jelske Kloppenburg), computer, 4 data projectors, film projector, 1996; Zeit-Wände II, DVD (with film projector), 1997 (collaboration with Inge Kamps); Märchen aus dem Metakino: das Choreoskop (interactive children's opera), computer, graphics (by Roy Herbst), computer animation (by Aeldrik Pander, Jelske Kloppenburg), 1997; Projektion: 12 channel sound installation, 2001; Streaming, 2-track tape, laser installation (by Rainer Plum), 2001; Visions room (permanent installation: interactive music and text installation), computer, film projector (interactive design and graphics programming by Arjen Keesmaat), 2003; Zeit-Wände VII (music and video installation), 5 DVDs, 5 film projectors (film by Inge Kamps), 2003; Circular Roots (interactive performance), violin, computer, film projector (film by Luiz Carlos Joels), interactive design-image processing (by Patrick Delges), 2003 (also version without violin, 2004)
MULTIMEDIA: Sankta Barbara, 2-track tape, film (by Camille Turner), 2004; Blind City (Essay on blindness) (interactive opera installation, libretto by the composer, Johannes Birringer, after José Saramago, choreography by Kristin Hapke), coloratura soprano, 2 female speakers, 2 actors, female dancer, DJ, film (by Lynn Lukas, Johannes Birringer), interactive light design (by Patrick Delges), 2004; eros-ion! (opera-installation, libretto compiled by the composer, texts by Dan Albertson, Jorge Luis Borges, Gaston Bachelard, Josué de Castro, the composer, Ferreira Gullar, the Gnostic Gospels), soprano, bass, bass clarinet, piano (+ synthesizer), 2 percussion, computer, film (by Luiz Carlos Joels), 2004–06
DISCOGRAPHY
A Vladimir Maiakovski I. Terão Chebl, flute; Marco Antonio Cancelo, piano (FUNARTE: 356 404 034, 1986) (LP)
Magisches Auge; Baiser. Stephanie Mühle, actress; Paulo C. Chagas, actor (Peccata Mundi: 110, 1986)
Sodoma (excerpts). Gérard Bernard, Géry Cambier, Philippe Herr, percussion; Celso Antunes/Tippett Ensemble, Helix Ensemble (Subrosa: SUBCD 026-48, 1993)
Francis Bacon (excerpts). Anne Cambier, soprano; Michel Puissant, countertenor; Bernd Valentin, baritone; Michael Weilacher, percussion; Celso Antunes/Quadro Quartet (KlangStudioC: C9401, 1994)
The Journey. (KlangStudioC: C9601, 1996) (CD-ROM)
É o silêncio. Cléa Galhano, alto recorder (Ten Thousand Lakes: SC 110, 1998)
Ellipse. (MfK Studio für Elektronische Musik: CD 4, 1999)
Initium. Ensemble Kadéléis (Cyprès Records: CYP 4606, 2000)
Einblick II. (Cybele Records: 960.208/DEBEM: CD08, 2004)
(Last updated on May 12, 2007)
