Today : world première of Sarah Nemtsov's 'Sacrifice' in Halle

Today, the Buehnen Halle presents the world première of Sarah Nemtsov's opera Sacrifice, with a libretto by Dirk Laucke.

(c) Neda Navaee

It is the composer's fourth opera, after Herzland (Munich, 2009), L'Absence (Munich, 2012) and Alt (Salzburg, 2015). The opera is in 4 acts.

You want to go to the opera. Henry and Jana want to go to IS. Off Lesbos sinks a ship and you are invited to a party. The news agencies report : atrocities in Syria, borders are closed, tear gas used against desperate people fleeing. Tax returns are yet to be filed. Youngsters are fleeing from a burning refugee camp. Jungle camp is to be extended. A guy on the street explains that everything is actually quite different as presented in the media. Distressing times of crisis caused by a flood of contradictory information. Pictures you want to keep at a distance. (freely adapted from the Buehne Halle website)

The cast includes soprano Anke Berndt (Frau), baritone Gerd Vogel (Stereo-Typ, Azuz), bass Vladislav Solodyagin (Mann) and soprano Tehila Goldstein (Henny). Michael Wendeberg conducts the Staatskapelle Halle. Florian Lutz directs.

The required orchestra is the following (according to the composer website) :

- band : piano, electric guitar, piano, harp and drum kit ;
- 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons ;
- 1 horn, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- electric guitar, keyboard, piano, harp ;
- 3 percussions ;
- strings (6.6.5.4.3).

The performance should last about 90 minutes, with no intermission.