La Cosa Preziosa (Susanna Caprara BAHons, MA) is an award-winning sound artist originally from the south of Italy and based between her native country and Dublin, Ireland. Her commitment is to producing original work in the form of aural dreamscapes, soundscapes and experimental organic tracks by exploring the intersection between the realism of field recording and the possibilities of dramatic staging. The moniker ‘La Cosa Preziosa’ (the precious thing) refers to the beauty and frailty of the natural sounds that regularly feature in her dreamscapes. These have been performed in both Europe and the United States, in solo and group shows. La Cosa Preziosa is a recipient of the prestigious ‘Europe: A Sound Panorama’ juried prize for soundscape art, a Culture Ireland Travel Award and has recently been appointed to complete a Public Art Commission for Offaly County Council (Ireland). In addition to her soundart work, Susanna is the Founder & Director of the first international Artists\' Residency to open in her native Basilicata, Palazzo Rinaldi.

My work as a sound artist focuses on bringing to listeners the experience of rare or endangered sonic environments, both real and imaginary, in the form of immersive creative soundscapes. I compose using my own field recorded material following rhythms that rhyme with natural human patterns with the aim to producing work to feed the imagination and relax the psyche, while showcasing the irreplaceable harmonizing power of natural sounds and heighten awareness of disappearing acoustic environments. Coming to sound art from a professional theatre background, I am particularly interested in teasing out the relationship between the realism of field recording and documentary, and the possibilities of fictional dramatic staging. I want the listener to become an active participant in this process, filling the blanks with its own imagination. My background in literature and drama is responsible for my interest in classical themes of literature and myth. I am also strongly inspired by my Southern Italian heritage as well as by Ireland, my adopted home.