Today : world première of 'Laika', an opera by Martijn Padding, in Amsterdam

Today, the new opera by Martijn Padding will be performed at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam, as a coproduction between Holland Festival and Dutch National Opera.

 
Martijn Padding already composed at least one opera : Tattooed Tongues with a libretto by Friso Haverkamp on the Swedish scientist Emanuel Swendenborg, first performed in Warsaw in 2001. The libretto for this new opera has been written, in Dutch, by Dutch writer Pieter Frans Thomése.

Here is the plot, as presented on the operaballet.nl website :

Robbert, the presenter of a popular television talk show, is fed up with his job. Via a radio transmitter he makes contact with the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and the ‘space dog’ Laika, who will drift through outer space for eternity. The show’s ratings have plummeted, Robbert loses his cool, kicks the audience out of the studio and makes a dash for it. Gagarin and Laika come to fetch him. He only has to let go...

Padding and librettist P.F. Thomése poke fun at the superficiality of ratings-obsessed television programmes. The celebrated presenter Robbert is at the end of his tether: everyone knows him, but he no longer truly knows himself. Moreover, he still lives with his domineering mother, who keeps the embalmed body of his father on display in the living room. Since his early youth Robbert has immersed himself in the cosmos, and it is there where he will find liberation.

The four acts of this 'tragic comedy' should last about 1 hour and 45 minutes including one interval, during which the audience will change seat, from the onstage bleachers to the auditorium or vice versa.

The cast includes Thomas Oliemans (Robbert), Claron McFadden (Trix Dominatrix), Marcel Beekman (Ricardo), Helena Rasker (Moeder), Marieke Steenhoek (Grimelda), Dennis Wilgenhof (Joeri Gagarin), Mattijs van de Woerd (Leporello), and a boy soprano as Laika. Etienne Siebens will conduct the Arsko|Schönberg orchestra and the VOCAALLAB chorus, Aernout Mik will direct.

Next Saturday, June 7th, the opera will be broadcast live by Radio 4 - NTR Opera Live.