Today : world première of Synne Skouen's 'Ballerina' in Oslo

Today, the Norwegian Opera in Oslo presents the world première of Synne Skouen's chamber opera Ballerina, with a libretto by Oda Radoor based on Arne Skouen's play.  

(c) Lisbeth Risnes

It is the composer's first opera.

Ballerina introduces us to the world of the autistic teenager Malin. You will see the deep pond, the big bird, the circus horse, the farmyard tree Mr. Carl, the screeching gate Uncle Anton, and Mrs. Ludovica the millstone – all with “blue voices”... (reproduced from the Norwegian Opera website)

The cast includes mezzo Hege Høisæter (Audun), soprano Silje Marie Aker Johnsen (Malin), baritone Dagfinn Andersen (Audun), bass baritone Håvard Stensvold (Birger), and mezzo Tone Kummervold (Hanne). Bjarne Sakshaug conducts and Hilde Andersen directs.

The performance should last about 90 minutes, with no intermission. It takes place at the scene 2 of the Norwegian Opera Theatre, as part of the Ultima festival.

Today : world première of Gisle Kverndokk's 'Around the World in 80 Days' in Linz

Today, the Landestheater Linz presents the world première of the new musical version of Gisle Kverndokk's Around the World in Eighty Days, with a libretto by Øystein Wiik, based on Jules Verne's novel.

The first version was created in May 2010 in Oslo. Kverndokk has composed several works for the stage, including Den fjerde nattevakt (The Fourth Watch of the Night), first performed in Oslo in 2005.

In a wager with Stuart at his London Club, Phileas Fogg claims that he can circumnavigate the world in 80 days! He goes on the journey with his servant Passepartout, closely followed by detective Fionula Fix who was hired by Stuart. Fogg's agenda is in danger: In Paris, he happens upon a Glawari festival, in Rome, Tosca falls into his arms, in Beijing, Turandot wants to have him beheaded! The fact that Fogg is triumphant in the end, is as miraculous as if it were grand opera… (reproduced from the Landestheater Linz website)

The cast includes Alen Hodzovic (Phileas Fogg), Rob Pelzer (Passepartout) and Daniela Dett (Fionula Fix). Either Stefan Diederich or Borys Sitarski conducts the Bruckner Orchester Linz and the Landestheater Linz Chorus. Matthias Davids directs. The performance should last about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Received in the mail : programme book for Rolf Wallin's 'Elysium' in Oslo

This morning, I have received in the mail the programme book published by the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo for the world première performance of Rolf Wallin's opera, Elysium.

It is a 40 pages booklet. It contains :

- the complete synopsis of the opera ;
- several color photos of the production ;
- Teknologi og kjærlighet, a conversation with the composer Rolf Wallin (Technology and love) ;
- Musikalsk samtale, by Bodil Maroni Jensen (Musical conversation) ;
- Norges første kyborg, by Hedda Høgåsen-Hallesby (Norway's first cyborg) ;
- En chip og millarder av mennesker i hodet, by Arnfinn Christensen (A chip and billions of people in the head) ;
- biographies of composer, librettist, conductor, director, set and costume designer and lighting designer.

It is entirely in Norwegian. There is an English translation of the synopsis. The cast is not included. I have added it to my collection of 402 programmes for contemporary operas.

Today : world première of Rolf Wallin's 'Elysium' in Oslo

Today, the new opera composed by Rolf Wallin, Elysium, with a libretto in English by Mark Ravenhill, will be performed in Oslo at the Main Hall of the Norwegian Opera in Oslo.

It is the composer's first opera.

What is a man ? Where are the boundaries between our bodies, our thoughts and new technology ? Are we still human if we remove pain, conflict and sorrow ? A computer chip implanted in the throat allows humans to freely share thoughts, sensory perceptions and emotions with each other. Nor do these new ‘transhumans’ live under the threat of decease or death. Peace and affluence have become a worldwide reality. However, 40 original humans have been preserved in a living cultural history museum on an isolated island. Once a year they perform Beethoven's opera Fidelio for the ‘transhumans’. They do this to commemorate the long struggle for human rights, which we praised in memorial speeches and at art expressions, but never managed to realise in our time. (reproduced from the Norwegian Opera website)

The cast includes soprano Eli Kristin Hanssveen (Kvinnen), mezzo soprano Hege Høisæter (Naboen), bass Ketil Hugaas (Ektemannen), soprano Lina Johnson (Hustruen) and tenor Nils Harald Sødal (Coraig / Jaquino). Baldur Brönnimann conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Norwegian Opera. David Pountney conducts. The performance should last about 2 hours and 30 minutes, with 1 intermission.

Received in the mail this morning : program book for Jüri Reinvere's 'Peer Gynt' in Oslo

This morning, I have received in the mail the program book published by the Norwegian National Opera for the world première of Jüri Reinvere's opera Peer Gynt.

It is a 44 pages brochure. It contains :

- detailed synopsis ;
- complete cast (with photos in character) and crew ;
- an article by the stage director on her staging this new opera ;
- an interview with the singer of the title role, Nils Harald Sødal ;
- an interview with the composer ;
- biographies of performers.

The book in entirely written in Norwegian, with the exception of three pages in English : a foreword by Per Boye Hansen, opera director, and the detailed synopsis. I had already received by e-mail word files of the interview with the stage director and the complete libretto, both in English.

Today : world première of Jüri Reinvere's opera 'Peer Gynt' in Oslo

Today, Jüri Reinvere's new opera, Peer Gynt, with a libretto (in German) by the composer after Henrik Ibsen's play will be performed in Oslo.

It is Reinvere's second opera after Puhdistus (Purge), first performed in Helsinki in 2012. It is the second opera after Ibsen's play. The first was composed by Werner Egk in 1938.

«Who are you?» That is the question Peer Gynt asks the Bøyg, the Mountain King and the Sphinx, receiving only the answer, «Myself». But who is that, and who is Peer Gynt? What does it mean to be Norwegian in 2014, 200 years after we gained our first written constitution? What or where is the core, the seed? Is there one at all ? This work is a commentary on the position of the Peer Gynt phenomenon as a national and international Norwegian symbol. It is the story of the search for an identity that constantly escapes us. Our past and our memories, on the other hand, we carry with us whether we want to or not. The story of the evasive Peer Gynt shows that we have to face them in order to better understand ourselves.(reproduced from www.operaen.no)

There are 8 singers, all of them singing several parts, except Peer Gynt : Nils Harald Sødal (tenor, Peer Gynt), Marita Sølberg (soprano, Young Solveig), Ingebjørg Kosmo (mezzo, Elderly Solveig), Kari Ulfsnes Kleiven (soprano, Ingrid / Anitra), David Hansen (countertenor, Bogey / Cheshire Cat), Thor Inge Falch (tenor, Smith / Huhu), Ketil Hugaas (bass baritone, Troll King / von Eberkopf / Professor Begriffenfeldt) and Johannes Weisser (baritone, Priest / Executioner, Minister Hussein). John Helmer Fiore will conduct the chorus and the orchestra of the Norwegian Opera. Sigrid Strøm Reibo will direct.

The orchestra is the following :
- 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons
- 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba
- timpani and 4 percussionists
- 2 harps, piano, synthesizer, celesta
- tape
- strings

The opera should last about 2 hours and 20 minutes, with one interval. The first act consists of 3 'images' and the second of 4. Though the libretto has been written in German, the Norwegian National Opera will perform this new opera in Norwegian. There is no broadcast planned yet.

Received in the mail this Monday morning

This Monday morning, I have received the following in the mail :

- Nils Henrik Asheim : Stormen, Oslo, program book (world première) ;
- Martijn Padding : Laika, Amsterdam, program book (world première) ;

- Bremen, Theater : July 2014 brochure ;
- Drottningholm, Slottsteater : 2014 season brochure ;
- Hagen, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Köln, Oper : September - October 2014 brochure ;
- Ulm, Theater : July 2014 leaflet.

Yesterday : world première of Nils Henrik Asheim's 'Stormen' in Oslo

Yesterday, a new children opera after William Shakespeare's The Tempest was premièred in Oslo, with a libretto written by Rune Belsvik and music composed by Nils Henrik Asheim, with references to Arne Nordheim's music for the ballet The Tempest. The complete title is The Tempest - A Tale of Miranda and Ferdinand.

Here is what the composer writes about this new work on his website :

This unique project is a joint effort by the Norwegian Opera and Ballet's Childrens' Choir and Childrens' Ballet. In the orchestra pit of Scene 2 in the Norwegian Opera you will also find members of the Barratt-Due Junior Orchestra in addition to professional musicians.
The story starts with Miranda on her 12th birthday. Her daddy is always working in his laboratory, and her toys and dolls are boring her. The Fairy brings her a mystical present that could foresee something for the future, and a certain boy called Ferdinand appears.

The opera will be performed (in New Norwegian) only 8 times, and lasts 70 minutes. It is directed by Gunnar Bergstrøm, with a choreography by Kristian Støvind.

New Season 2014-2015 at Den Norske Opera in Oslo

During the 2014-2015, the 10 following operas (in 6 languages) will be performed in Oslo (4 new productions, including a world première, 6 revivals) :

- Giacomo Puccini : Madama Butterfly, conducted by John Fiore, directed by Stephen Langridge (revival of a production first performed in Copenhagen in December 2010) ;
- Dmitri Shostakovich : Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, conducted by Oleg Caetani, directed by Ole Anders Tandberg (new production, to be performed at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin in January 2015) ;
- Jacques Offenbach : Les Contes d'Hoffmann, conducted by Stefan Blunier, directed by Calixto Bieito (revival, first performed in December 2013) ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Don Giovanni, conducted by Lothar Koenigs, directed by Thaddeus Strassberger (revival, first performed in March 2014) ;
- Jüri Reinvere : Peer Gynt, conducted by John Fiore, directed by Sigrid Strøm Reibo (world première) ;
- Gioachino Rossini : Il barbiere di Siviglia, conducted by Enrique Mazzola, directed by François de Carpentries (revival, first performed in Nancy in May 2005, already performed in Oslo in February 2007) ;
- Georges Bizet : Carmen, conducted by Fabien Gabel, directed by Calixto Bieito (revival, first performed in Antwerpen in December 2004, then in Gent, Palermo, Basel, Venezia, Torino and London) ;
- Richard Wagner : Lohengrin, conducted by John Fiore, directed by Thorleifur örn Arnarsson (revival, first performed in Augsburg in May 2014) ;
- Giuseppe Verdi : La Traviata, conducted by James Gaffigan, directed by Tatjana Gürbaca (new production) ;
- Peter Maxwell Davies : Cinderella, directed by Gunnar Bergstrøm (children opera, new production).

Received in the mail this Wednesday morning

This Wednesday morning, I have received the following in the mail :

- Halle, Bühnen : June and July-August 2014 leaflets ;
- Hannover, Staatstheater : June 2014 leaflet ;
- Hof, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Karlsruhe, Badisches Staatstheater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Luxembourg, Théâtres de la Ville : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- München, Bayerische Staatsoper : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Oslo, Den Norske Opera & Ballet : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Vienna, Theater an der Wien : 2014-2015 season program books ('Das neue Opernhaus' and 'In der Kammeroper').