On February 12, 1982, composer/performer Diamanda Galas performed the New York debut of her solo show titled Wild Women and Steak Knives at The Kitchen. 

 

The show consisted of two parts: Eyes without blood: Wild Women and Steak Knives, a piece for solo voice and four microphones; and Tragouthia apo to Aima Exoun Fonos (Song From The Blood of Those Murdered), a piece for solo voice and tape. 

 

Part one was described by Galas as a representation of mental entropy—“a communication of a continual shattering and melting together” of her own mind. Part two was a piece originally dedicated to those mutilated by the Greek Junta. Self-described as an “obsessional performer,” Galas used her voice as an instrument, pushing it to extremes and exploring the interconnection of sonic and linguistic elements as an execution of mental/dramatic states.