Solitude
Opera course for young people on Henry Purcell’s theatre music
Solitude plays on the boundary between reality and fiction. It tells the story of He and She, each in their own room and looking for the other and themselves. Staring into the other world through their webcam, or perhaps not? On the other side of the door is an escape route, a way that would lead them to each other, a virtual world with its own laws and boundaries. Lost in the game, He and She ultimately return to their rooms.
In this annual summer project organised by Muziektheater Transparant, a group of young singers and instrumentalists take up the challenge of creating the first performance of an extremely unusual opera after a short but intensive rehearsal period. This year the spotlight is on Henry Purcell’s theatre music. In several of his semi-operas, characters are isolated in a metaphorical place, to be confronted with their own fears and desires. Misled and seduced by spirits and nymphs, or by the phantoms in their own mind? Escaping into a virtual world that intertwines with reality as if in a dream. The young cast approaches these themes from a contemporary perspective. The allegorical world of Purcell’s semi-operas is seen from the point of view of the performers, a new generation of singers and instrumentalists.
Wouter Van Looy directs, Nicolas Van Achten is musical director, the young writers Simon Van Buyten and Lynn Verhaegen do the writing. The final result will be shown in the Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht and deSingel in Antwerp and at the international Yo! Opera Festival. For the last few years the project has had a permanent home at deSingel and is part of the Arts Campus activities. Its previous successes attracted international attention. As from this year, the organisation of the project is shared by several European partners including the Yo! Opera Festival and Europa Cantat.
conceived and directed by Wouter Van Looy / musical director Nicolas Achten / writers Simon Van Buyten and Lynn Verhaegen / orchestra coach Marcin Lasia / singing coach Laurence Renson / choreography and video Vivian Cruz / costumes Johanna Trudzinski / costume assistent Adriana Parra / production Veerle Francke / stage manager Benjamin Timmermans / video technique Olmo Claessens / direction assistant Marie Roofthooft / production assistent Melanie De Mol
singers:
baritone Nicolas Clemens, Jeroen Driessens and Pascal Lestaeghe / contratenor Arthur Debski / mezzo soprano Esther Kuiper and Leonie Van Rheden / soprano Noami Beeldens, Merel Kriegsman, Boje Moons, Charlotte Schoeters, Laurence Servaes, Ellen Vanherck and Annelies Van Hijfte / tenor Jelle Leistra
instrumentalists:
viola Elke Decalf, Maartje Everaert and Elisabeth Kruyfhooft / baroque guitar Inne Van Nyvelseel / cello Martijn Den Dievel, Silke Van Nyvelseel and Lies Wyers / double bass Louis Ponseele / bassoon Laszlo Thiry / harpsichord Korneel Bernolet and Beniamino Paganini / lute Solmund Nystabakk / violin Boudewijns Raphaëla, De Wulf Ben, Germeijs Mathilde, Mitchell Mungroop, Judith Van Doorselaer, Philip Van Stapel and Thomas van Zijl
A production by Muziektheater Transparant, Yo! Opera Festival, deSingel Arts Campus and Europa Cantat
With the support of deBuren en the Kingdom of the Netherlands / With thanks to Pro Arte, Staf Van Looy / With images of The Endless Forest van Tale of Tales