The Medium is Peter Maxwell Davies' most daring composition. The libretto is about a nameless woman who tries to convey her psychological experiences.
Maxwell Davies is Transparant's composer in residence, and the company has produced many of his works, including The Lighthouse, Eight Songs for a Mad King, Miss Donnithorne's Maggot and the special commission Mr. Emmet takes a Walk. Maxwell Davies wrote the libretto for The Medium himself, and it is considered to be one of his most daring works because the singer is not supported by any accompaniment. She depends entirely on her own skill to conjure up the schizophrenic world the character inhabits.
We find out the woman has been a medium and a maid, that she has murdered a child and that she is currently undergoing electric shock treatment. The shocks are translated into her screams, and she imagines she is a dog or a crab. We are never sure whether she really is mad or just pretending. Is she a psychiatric patient coping with the treatment or is she dangerous?
Credits
- Mezzo soprano •
- Direction • Waut Koeken
- Scenography | Lighting design • Peter van Praet
