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Inscriptions
David Ryan & OPerta collectivea

‘Inscriptions’ is a an ‘open work’ for a singer, speakers, and variable ensemble. These extracts were recorded live in concert with Cristina Grifone, soprano and OPerta collective directed by David Ryan and theatrically directed by Slovenian opera director Rocc, at Wimbledon College of Arts Theatre, London, July 2023, recorded by Emanuele Costanini. It takes as its starting point texts from the famous Greek Anthology of epigrams (literally translated as ‘inscriptions’ from the Greek). These texts are noteworthy in their development from anonymous epitaphs and memorials to authored aphoristic statements on the human condition and the play of life – an intertwining of time, loss and memory. Musically, it is important that the pieces are specifically realised for each performance, rather like archaeological excavated materials to be completed in a completely conjectural yet provisional way. Here, improvisation is essential to fleshing out the simple compositional armatures.

David Ryan (davidryanrecentworks.wordpress.com) is also a visual artist who studied clarinet with jazz musician Don Rendell. His musical interests were consolidated by the re-formation of the Scratch Orchestra (after the death of Cornelius Cardew) in 1984 for the Almeida Festival, and by personal connections with John Tilbury, Christian Wolff, Phill Niblock, and Earle Brown for various performances/concerts. Although often experimenting with ‘open’ composition, he is committed to improvisation, and has been a long-standing member of the London Improvisors Orchestra, as well as in various improvising groups. Ryan has also performed and broadcast for Danish Radio, UNAM Mexico, BBC Radio 3, Resonance FM, Radiophrenia, Radio Slovenjia, Sky Italia Classica TV, and numerous Festivals, including Bourges (2006), Sonic Illuminations, British Film Institute, London (2009); Namusica (2013 and 2014) Naples, Italy, the Venice Biennale (with Nicola Sani), 2015, and the Music Theatre festival 2025, Prague, Czech Republic. He has collaborated with various ensembles including many performances with the ensemble Apartment House and has been involved in premieres of pieces by numerous living composers. Recent compositions include Recitativo/Clouds and Noise (2014-18), Provisional Pieces (2018 – ongoing), Aphorisms (2019/2024) and Inscriptions (20023-25).

Cristina Grifone was one of the outstanding graduates of the Conservarory San Pietro a Majella, Naples in 2008. She had already embarked on a career mainly within Early Music, going on to perform with leading ensembles including the Nuova Orchestra Alessandro Scarlatti, Musica Fiorita Ensemble and Orchestra, and Antonio Florio’s I Turchini, for many concerts. In 2016 she moved to Amsterdam in order to deepen her study and interpretation of the baroque repertoire, studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam under the tutorship of Xenia Meijer. Since then she has also been involved, in parallel, with contemporary and experimental music and performance. Previous recordings have featured her singing Handel, Veneziano, Cimarosa, Perti, and Porpora for Glossa, Pan Classics, and Brilliant Classics labels.