Beyond the Grave: Gelsey Bell in mɔɹnɪŋ

Photo by Gretchen Robinette

Imagine attending an operatic performance in a cemetery, where haunting melodies about human existence — or the lack thereof — echo through ancient catacombs. This September, composer and vocalist Gelsey Bell is bringing her groundbreaking work mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] to Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery as a part of Death of Classical’s concert series, The Angel’s Share. In an exclusive interview with 360° of Opera, Bell shared insights into her creative process and the themes underlying this piece.

Photo by Maria Baranova

Bell’s musical roots run deep, shaped by a diverse household soundscape. “My mom was a pianist and piano teacher, so I grew up with a lot of piano and chamber music,” she recalls. This early exposure to classical music was complemented by an eclectic mix of genres. “I feel like I also heard a lot of rock and roll and folk music from both my parents. We had a lot of Hawaiian music in the home because my dad grew up in Hawaii.”

This rich musical background laid the foundation for Bell’s genre-defying approach to composition. “My vocal training is varied genre-wise. When I perform or compose, I use many different kinds of vocal techniques and genres.” Her journey into experimental music came in her 20s. “Because I grew up in the environment of classical music and was very used to classical training, when I discovered other methodologies for music making that were more improvisatory and less based on perfection, I was very drawn to them,” she explains.

mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] is a testament to Bell’s unique artistic vision. The concept emerged from an unexpected source: her time on Broadway. “I first started dreaming about creating the piece when I was performing in The Great Comet on Broadway in 2017,” Bell recounts. “There would be this one scene in the piece where I was witnessing other people sing, but I wasn’t actually singing myself. It became a very meditative experience, 100-200 performances in. And I started dreaming about turning these scientific stories into some sort of stage production.”

The piece itself is a thought experiment set to music. “The setup is that, if humans disappeared right now, what would happen?” Bell reveals. Inspired by Alan Weissman’s book The World Without Us, Bell’s imagination took the concept to its ultimate conclusion. “The piece starts from that first moment in our current day, but then goes all the way far into the future, when no life is on earth anymore because it’s just too hot for all of us, which scientists know will happen.”

Performing mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] in Green-Wood Cemetery adds a poignant layer to the work. “I did not always imagine performing it in catacombs, but Green-Wood’s catacombs have definitely been like an artistic home for me for the last few years,” Bell reflects. “All of the performances I’ve done in these catacombs have influenced me while I was writing the piece. So it feels like a really special place to perform a selection of songs from it.”

The cemetery setting isn’t just atmospheric; it’s an integral part of the experience. “The Green-Wood catacombs just add so much to that conversation, without me needing to do anything,” Bell explains. “We’ll hear the crickets and we’ll see the fireflies. They will add to all of the subject matter that’s already in the piece.”

Bell’s approach to her art is deeply thoughtful and socially conscious. She aims to create spaces for emotional reflection on complex issues like climate change and our relationship with nature. “I don’t like making work that is propagandist. I don’t feel like there is one message that the work contains,” she asserts. “That said, I think what I try to do is really create a space for people to meditate on ideas and allow themselves to be emotional about them.”

This emphasis on emotional engagement is central to Bell’s artistic philosophy. “Our relationships with human mortality, nature, and other animals are very emotional. But I don’t think there’s a huge amount of work that creates space for people to feel those emotions.”

Bell sees music as a unique medium for exploring these complex themes, as it has the power to stretch time and to create a space for us to think outside of human time scales. As we face unprecedented environmental challenges, her work offers a unique perspective on our place in the grand scheme of things. “My hope is that every audience member can bring their own knowledge, connections, and emotional journey,” she says.

When asked about what she looks for in creative partnerships, she emphasizes the importance of shared vision: “When I’m collaborating with other interesting, community-oriented artists, there’s often some sort of spark between us. You’re just so on the same page about how you’re thinking about the work, that you already have a kind of shared language.”

As Bell journeys through various musical genres and techniques, she remains open to new experiences and influences. She describes the current scene with enthusiasm: “It’s a very exciting time in contemporary opera and music theater. There is such a wonderful community of people in New York City and elsewhere, creating works that feel post-genre, and embracing all kinds of musical storytelling. As someone who also performs in other people’s pieces, I feel very happy to be a part of it.”

This spirit of innovation and cross-disciplinary exploration is also reflected in Bell’s ongoing projects. She is writing a piece for the Wet Ink Ensemble, and another for thingNY, a group she’s been a part of for 15+ years. Both of those pieces also deal with stories about nature over long time scales, but look at the past instead of the future, partly because her research revealed some incredible information about Earth’s past.

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to experience mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] in the evocative setting of Green-Wood Cemetery’s catacombs. Performances run from September 12-14, 2024, with two shows each evening. Each performance includes an hour-long spirits tasting and a twilight walk through the cemetery. Tickets are available now — secure your spot for this unforgettable exploration of life, death, and everything in between. In the meantime, you can get a sneak peek of the album and preorder it here.

Photo by Maria Baranova

- written by Chloe Yutong Yang.