Bondarsphere

Bondarsphere traces the extraordinary life of Dr. Roberta Bondar in this original and inventive work by one of Canada’s great young talents, Montreal composer Nicole Lizée. As a child, Dr. Bondar dreamed of being an astronaut. This dream was realized in January 1992, aboard NASA’s space shuttle Discovery, when she became the first neurologist in space and Canada’s first female astronaut. Lizée has interpreted her remarkable expertise as an astronaut, physician, scientific researcher, photographer, author, and environment interpreter, through soundtrack, video and live orchestra.

Lizée has composed a soundtrack and film from recording and eye-witness footage captured over the course of Dr. Bondar’s storied career. From the otherworldly recordings of her voice in space, to her acceptance speech at “Canada’s Walk of Fame”, Lizée has spliced, overlaid and manipulated the pitch, rhythm and harmony of the sights and sounds of these remarkable achievements into eight movements, each unfolding into the next, inferring an eight-day odyssey. Lizée’s work invites the audience to reflect on how these trailblazing accomplishments impacted a new generation to embrace a sense of discovery, experimentation and awe in the face of the infinite. (World premiere May 19, 2016). Duration 16 minutes.