Benjamin, Sir George (b. 1960) | Picture a day like this | Libretto von Martin Crimp |
Sir George Benjamin | Musikalische Leitung | |
Daniel Jeanneteau | Regie, Bühnenbild, Licht | |
Marie La Rocca | Kostüme | |
Marie-Christine Soma | Licht, Regie, Bühnenbild | |
Mahler Chamber Orchestra | ||
Hicham Berrada | Video | |
Beate Mordal | Sopran | Lover 1/Composer |
Anna Prohaska | Sopran | Zabelle |
Marianne Crebassa | Mezzosopran | Woman |
John Brancy | Bariton | Artisan/Collector |
Cameron Shahbazi | Countertenor | Lover 2/Composer's Assistant |
An ordinary day. A terrible event. The death of her infant child sets in motion one woman’s search for a life-restoring miracle. All she needs to do – in the course of a single day – is find one genuinely happy human being. But when every encounter, however promising, ends in disappointment, she turns finally to the mysterious Zabelle, owner and creator of a magnificent garden. Eleven years after the historic success of Written on Skin, George Benjamin returns to the Festival with a new opera in one act: a universal tale with moving colours, where the flow of music follows the flow of life; an initiatory fable on human nature and self-discovery. For the fourth time, he reunites with Martin Crimp, his faithful author; Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma are the stage directors, and with video design by Hicham Berrada. The composer himself conducts five magnificent young singers – including Marianne Crebassa – and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, which celebrates its 25th anniversary on this occasion.