NOTE FROM THE COMPOSER

Justine F. Chen | Composer

In 2012 when librettist David Simpatico and I began working on this opera, our hero Alan Turing was unknown to me. David’s description showed Turing as a legend and tragic figure– the father of computer science, and a war hero chemically castrated by his own country for his sexual orientation, then … a heartbreaking suicide. In addition to his important story, Alan’s life had a perfect medium: David’s warm wit and deep humanity maneuver these urgent, weighty topics with a delicate touch. For me- a Taiwanese-American female composer, this opera paints a portrait of discrimination. I thought it was most important to depict institutional discrimination, and the people of his society who were trying their best.

This opera presents Alan at seven different moments in life. We usher our listeners through these memories with interludes that we call “chat clouds.” These “chat clouds” transport the listeners with a sonic approximation of internet chatter, filled with information that brings them to the next moment. The aural depiction of these "chat clouds" was inspired by the animated movies and television series of Masamune Shirow's cyberpunk manga Ghost in the Shell. Another sonic influence was Walt Disney’s fantastical Snow White, one of Alan’s greatest obsessions.

I thank David Simpatico, Cori Ellison, Mark Adamo, American Lyric Theater, Lawrence Edelson, Steve Weiner, Bhaskaran Swaminathan, Donald Nally, and my family (present and departed) for their unflagging support. Working with COT is a dream come true. I am so grateful to COT and Maestro Lidiya Yankovskaya whose impeccable musicianship, profound intelligence, and consummate artistry has aided our Turing journey since 2015. We were fortunate to have our orchestral reading – an invaluable asset in the development of such an ambitious opera - here with the good people of COT. Chicago has my heart and deepest gratitude.