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The English Hotel & Opera House stood in the heart of downtown Indianapolis from 1880-1948. Through secondary sources (records, articles, and photographs) Ian Chang’s track tells the story of the 1917 murder case of Clarence Euell, an African-American waiter at the hotel’s cafe. As the story goes, Milwaukee Brewers’ manager Daniel Shay had just suffered a defeat against the Indianapolis Indians baseball team, and after taking issue with how much sugar he was given for coffee, shot Euell in the stomach. Despite conflicting witness reports, the jury concluded that Shay was defending himself and he was acquitted of second degree murder. This story reflects racial tensions and prejudice in Jim Crow-era America and is a somber reminder of how loudly that era echoes today. The piece seeks to embody both the opulence of the space and the tragedy of the Euell murder with a uncanny and operatic sonic palette. With the exception of woodblock and kick drum, Euell is created entirely of manipulated opera samples and the resulting sonic environment feels like a ghost opera.

Duration: 04:21
Year: 2017
Commissioned by: Sound Expeditions