"Before the Noise" : a Sound Installation | Madeira Whale Festival

Official part of the Madeira Whale Festival 2026 programme. "Before the Noise": five tanks of seawater. In each one, something we've put in the ocean that shouldn't be there. Touch the water, and you symbolically clean it, deactivating a layer of pollution sound until all that's left is the ocean as it should sound. This is a performance you build, together, one hand in the water at a time. The session closes with a live performance: BSP singing alongside real dolphin and ambient ocean recordings, provided by MARE-ARDITI in collaboration with the University of Madeira. What to expect: A hands-on, participatory installation; you'll be asked to touch the water, not just observe. Small groups, so book the session that works for you. A closing live performance blending voice with real underwater recordings from Madeira's own waters. Sessions: Tue 7 Oct, 18:00–18:30; Tue 7 Oct, 19:30–20:00; Wed 8 Oct, 14:30–15:00. Free, but space is limited; reserve your spot. Created by BSP and Max Gordiani, music by Alessio Miraglia, in collaboration with MARE-ARDITI and the University of Madeira, as part of the Madeira Whale Festival. With thanks to Annalisa Sambolino, Anita Alessandrini, Andreia Sousa, and Diane Esson at MARE-ARDITI for their kind support and collaboration; to Laura Redaelli at MARE-ARDITI for the underwater recordings (official citation and data here - This dataset contains real underwater recordings of wild dolphins and toothed whales, made off the south coast of Madeira between 2022 and 2025. Every recording comes from a confirmed sighting of a single species, captured with specialised underwater microphones during research boat surveys. Full technical details are included for anyone who wants to dig deeper.) and to Centro Cultural e de Investigação for generously hosting the installation.