Benjamin, Sir George (n. 1960) | Picture a day like this | Livret de Martin Crimp |
Sir George Benjamin | Direction | |
Daniel Jeanneteau | Mise en scène, Décors, Lumières | |
Marie La Rocca | Costumes | |
Marie-Christine Soma | Lumières, Mise en scène, Décors | |
Mahler Chamber Orchestra | ||
Hicham Berrada | Vidéaste | |
Beate Mordal | Soprano | Lover 1/Composer |
Anna Prohaska | Soprano | Zabelle |
Marianne Crebassa | Mezzo-soprano | Woman |
John Brancy | Baryton | Artisan/Collector |
Cameron Shahbazi | Contre-ténor | 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.