Neither Confirmed Nor Denied is a one-act opera inspired by the mysterious “number stations” that have broadcast strings of numbers and words on shortwave radios throughout the world since the late ’40s. It is widely believed that these stations provide coded messages between government intelligence services and their spies in the field. The opera’s musical score models the individual characteristics of these stations. Each performer is given a set of instructions by composer Gino Robair and interprets the instructions musically or through movement to become a unique station, decoding encrypted data that serves as each character’s story.

Robair will lead a pre-opera workshop in which all of the performers who are participating in Neither Confirmed Nor Denied collaborate to interpret their coded instructions and develop the final opera. This workshop is open to the viewing public. Join us on Friday, August 15 to catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Robair’s creative process.

Neither Confirmed Nor Denied is a one-act opera inspired by the mysterious “number stations” heard on shortwave radios throughout the world since the late ’40s.

Made famous by the Conet Project (hear them free at Archive.org), these stations broadcast strings of numbers and words, which are read by a human or synthesized voice and surrounded by interesting identifiers (snatches of folk tunes, electronic tones, etc.). It is widely believed that the stations provide coded messages between intelligence services and their spies in the field: Judging by the variety of languages used for these broadcasts, it is presumed that government agencies across the globe use them.

Over the years, many stations have been given names—The Lincolnshire Poacher, Swedish Rhapsody, Bulgarian Betty, Papa November—based on the sonic identifiers or the voices themselves.

Neither Confirmed Nor Denied is inspired by the individual characteristics of such stations, using them as a model for creating a libretto and score that is generated in real time based on sets of instructions given to each performer, who then interpret the instructions musically or through movement. Each artist, in effect, becomes a unique station, sonifying or visualizing encrypted data that serves as each character’s story.

Because the stations will be located throughout the four floors of the Meridian Gallery, each attendee will have a highly personalized experience of the work as he or she navigates the building (including the experience of intermodulation when moving between stations).

Neither Confirmed Nor Denied will be performed without intermission and will be streamed over the web as a nod to the original sources of inspiration.

About the Artist:
Gino Robair has written music for dance, theater, radio, television, silent film, and gamelan orchestra, and his works have been performed throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. His opera, I, Norton, based on the life of Norton I, Emperor of the United States, has been performed throughout North America and Europe.
He was composer in residence with the California Shakespeare Festival for five seasons and served as music director for the CBS animated series The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat. His commercial work includes themes for the MTV and Comedy Central cable networks.
Robair is also one of the “25 innovative percussionists” included in the book Percussion Profiles (SoundWorld). He has recorded with Tom Waits, Anthony Braxton, Terry Riley, Lou Harrison, and the ROVA Saxophone Quartet, and performed with John Zorn, Nina Hagen, Fred Frith, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, and the Club Foot Orchestra.