The Crown of Ariadne
“The Crown of Ariadne” is a fully realized interpretation of R. Murray Schafer’s work for solo harp by harpist Melissa Achten, replete with percussion. The piece follows the Greek myth of Theseus and Ariadne in the labyrinth in a series of six dances. In collaboration with artist Patrick Michael Ballard, Melissa acts as the conjurer and performer in this highly ritualized performance through the incorporation of masks, scene objects, and non-traditional staging. Motivated to provoke Schafer’s original vision of the work, the resulting performance was an exploration of the value of ceremony intrinsic to both Melissa and Patrick’s practice and an attempt to synthesize her varied interests as a harpist, a maker, a researcher, and a storyteller. In this particular iteration, Patrick took the role as a collaborator to help construct the mood, stage, masks, and props in collaboration with Melissa for the scene. This initial staging of the Sun Dance and the Labyrinth Dance is only the beginning of a collaboration with Melissa and Eli Klausner to realize a much more full exploration of Schafer’s works, opening space for the act of interpretation to stand as a unique doorway into the rites of ceremonial performance.