It is a variation upon High Art (iPod Serenade). This performance involves the same set up as High Art (iPod Serenade); I enter the Apple Store and serenade an Apple product. This time I am serenading a fake iPhone that I made – it is simply a piece of glass cut to the same dimensions as an iPhone 5, covered in black and silver mirror film. I recently bought a rubber cover for the iProp, as I refer to it.

The aria I sing is an adaptation of Chiamo il mio ben cosi from Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice. I have changed the libretto – it is a mixture of Italian, French and English. I am playing with the words and the meaning of the aria. I select similar sounding words in English to mimic the sounds of the French and Italian, for example; ‘t’appelle en core’ becomes ‘tap on the touch screen’ (which then becomes the (non) sensical ‘tap tap swipey tap tap touch screen’. I am directing the emotional turmoil at the device, rather than an active other.

The Italian genius’ reaction was a non reaction; he walked away (much like the English genius in 2010 in Covent Garden). After I had performed I left the store with no interactions. I returned in order to document the iProp amongst it’s kind. A genius approached me and complimented me on the performance. I was able to film some of our interaction.

Today was important as I sang Italian in Italy to the iProp in the Apple Store. This work informs my future PhD in which I will be staging Gluck’sopera Orfeo ed Euridice. Euridice will be represented on stage by a broken iPhone.

With thanks to Apple Store Euroma2 and Davide.