Griffin Kaiser
Griffin Kaiser
Griffin Kaiser is a filmmaker interested in exploring the shared boundaries between cinema and other forms of art. He has worked on several short films, with a particular interest in creating experimental works inspired by his love of classical music and opera. He seeks to use the means inherent to the medium of film, such as editing, animation, and inventive camera work, by pairing them with these other forms.
He also serves as the Chair of the Program Committee of the Richard Wagner Society of New York (a not-for-profit organization chartered in New York State for the purpose of furthering the appreciation and performance of the works of Richard Wagner). Griffin was selected by the Wagner Society of New York to attend the Richard Wagner Festival in the town of Bayreuth in Bavaria, Germany on the scholarship program (which was established by the composer himself before his death in 1883).
"The use of film and technology in opera production is ever-increasing, and his knowledge of this area of artistic discipline, in addition to his deep knowledge of the Wagner repertoire, will be valuable in all aspects of opera and theater." - Nathalie D. Wagner, President of the Wagner Society of New York
He also serves as the Chair of the Program Committee of the Richard Wagner Society of New York (a not-for-profit organization chartered in New York State for the purpose of furthering the appreciation and performance of the works of Richard Wagner). Griffin was selected by the Wagner Society of New York to attend the Richard Wagner Festival in the town of Bayreuth in Bavaria, Germany on the scholarship program (which was established by the composer himself before his death in 1883).
"The use of film and technology in opera production is ever-increasing, and his knowledge of this area of artistic discipline, in addition to his deep knowledge of the Wagner repertoire, will be valuable in all aspects of opera and theater." - Nathalie D. Wagner, President of the Wagner Society of New York
Artist Statement
Cinema is an art form whose roots spread through all the forms that have come before it. One of the most striking is the connection between cinema and opera. The ideas of endless melody and the invisible orchestra devised by pioneers such as Wagner, predate our own film soundtracks. The emotional power of artifice found in opera is also inherent in the very fabric of the film form.
With this film, I hope to discover where the connections between these two mediums meet, as well as where they diverge from. I want to pay tribute to the roots of the operatic medium, while bringing other forms such as painting and dance into the scene as well. Through the use of recorded performance, manipulated through editing inspired by and synchronized to the musical sound world of Parsifal, I hope to create a synthesis which elevates the material in a way unique to the cinematic space.
With this film, I hope to discover where the connections between these two mediums meet, as well as where they diverge from. I want to pay tribute to the roots of the operatic medium, while bringing other forms such as painting and dance into the scene as well. Through the use of recorded performance, manipulated through editing inspired by and synchronized to the musical sound world of Parsifal, I hope to create a synthesis which elevates the material in a way unique to the cinematic space.
'Der Zaubergarten'
Excerpted from 'Parsifal' by Richard Wagner