Producer: National University of Arts George Enescu, Iaşi. Author, Director, Composition, binaural microphone development, Recording, Editing and Sound Design: Ana-Teodora Popa. Artistic direction: Octavian Jighirgiu. Voices: Octavian Jighirgiu, Sebastian Bădărău, Andreea Darie, Cosmin Alupoaei, Smaranda Mihalache, Alin Voicu, Andrei Paraschiv, Andreea Nechita, Nicola Zaharia, Ioana Alberta Dima, Georgiana Hîrtopanu, Bianca Ciubotariu, Mariana Paladi, Alexandru Maxim, Vanessa Sarkadi, and Alexandra Antal.

SYNOPSIS:

A binaural creation depicting a first-person experience.

Trigger warning.

Surrender your last wish into the hands of others.

This short piece wants to give a glimpse into the terrifying experience of having been caught in the merciless claws of the global ‘monster’ that succumbed our world into fear and loss. It touches on the reality of the events from a first person perspective and brings awareness, and hopefully, changes the views of those who are still in denial.

I recommend using headphones. If Romanian isn’t your native language, I reccomend reading the translated script after the first audition. Script isn’t really neccessary. The piece was designed for the listener laying down, but having eyes closed is enough. It is a powerful experience and if you’ve ever been in any health danger before, this is your trigger warning.
The piece premiered during the art installation mentioned above, and the space in which the experience took place looked like a medical tent, with a hospital bed and “medical staff” in full PPE asking the listeners to lay down with headphones on, one by one, for five days in a row. There was not one member of the public not deeply touched by this experience.

For the recordings I used the binaural microphone I built myself. I started working on a first model in 2019 and perfected it throughout 2020. I am attaching documentation of that process.

Thank you.

Ana-Teodora Popa

Covid Experience is part of the „Pan-Demon” interdisciplinary performative installation of The National University of Arts George Enescu, Iaşi, Romania.

English text (click)