Love and Other Demons

Peter Eötvös's fifth opera was commissioned by the Glyndebourne Festival and composed to Kornél Hamvai's multilingual libretto (constructed with elements of Yoruba, Latin and Spanish, in addition to the English) based on Gabriel García Márquez's novella of the same title.

"This fantasy world helps me to concentrate on the music, rather than focus too much on the plot. This is my first opera about love, and also my first quasi-belcanto piece that allows the singers to show off the beauty of their voices," said the composer.

In other words, it has all the makings for an exciting theatrical experience, including a story full of operatic elements (religious intolerance, demonic possession and forbidden love), and Eötvös himself states that this is his most melodic music, while critics have called it magical. And it's all being staged by Silviu Purcărete, the Romanian theatre director renowned across Europe, whose productions are characterized by confident handling of the acting and powerful imagery.