Strange Birds is a contemporary chamber opera that surrounds the audience, providing an immersive environment in which to reflect on the essential nature of communication, language and social behavior in a world increasingly mediated by technology. There is no libretto and the singers communicate in wordless phrases inspired by birdsong. The orchestra is DJ’d live by myself using samples from 19th century orchestral music. The singers remain spatially separated and immobile over the course of the piece as their virtual counterparts interact inside a multi-screen video-scape created by Jeff Sugg. The cast features Galienne Eriksen (soprano), Vielka Kelly (mezzo-soprano), Daniel Neer (tenor), and John Rose (baritone).