Tom Phillips

Irma an Opera Tom Phillips

The first version of Irma occupies a single, albeit ample, sheet of paper and describes itself as 'a work in progress'. It dates from 1969 and was finished at the very moment man first landed on the moon. It was made at the request of Henri Chopin and published as a simple offset in his magazine OU. Since then, despite the 'progress' alluded to, no changes have been made. The opera has however been performed and recorded in this draft version. I have, however, given some interim hints to musicians involved as to larger and longer term intentions. With the parent work A Humument now approaching completion it seemed appropriate that its operatic offshoot should now be brought to its originally envisaged form as a full score.