Description

Isabella and Oskar are a couple well into middle age but they play together like two children. They make up innocent games that are laced with erotic innuendo. Through these they hope to liberate themselves from their deepest prejudices, commitments and fears. As a result of these games, the relationship surprisingly reveals that creativity and self destruction for them are inseparable. Isabella's need to find her true identity leads the couple into the world of rites, whose libretto they have written themselves, but which doesn't turn out to be so innocent—and where love is a deadly weapon.

The erotic charge between Isabella and Oskar creates a tense atmosphere in this chamber opera, and the intense music reflects the spectrum of human emotions, setting the pace for this story of the struggle of the spirit that the woman and the man have to face over and over again.

The opera was commissioned by Asociación Hoquetus & Camerata del Gran Teatro Falla and Festival Imeroamerico de Teatro de Cádiz, Spain and the composition funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Arts Council of Finland. The first performance was directed by Katariina Lahti and it took place in November 2, 2012 at the Music Theatre Kapsäkki, Helsinki, Finland.

Scenes of the opera:

1. Ritos Funerarios / Funeral Rites

2. Mascarada / The Masquerade

3. Ejercicios de digitación / Finger Exercises

4. Variaciones sobre un minueto / Variations on a Menuet

5. Ejercicio de higiene / An Exercise in Hygiene

6. Estrellas Pulsátiles / Binary Stars

7. Icebergs

8. Incisiones / Slicings

9. Cartografía / Cartography

10. Altar / The Altar

11. Degustación / The Tasting

Instrumentation

fl+pic+afl, cl+bcl, pno, vln, vla, vlc, mezzo, baryt

Category

Works for the Stage

Language

Es

Lyricist

Maritza Núñez

Premiere

Music Theatre Kapsäkki, Helsinki, Finland, November 2, 2012,

In Spain: La Lechera, Cádiz, Spain, November 9, 2012

Veera Railio, mezzo-soprano, Juha Kotilainen, baritone, Uusinta Chamber Ensemble (Sami Junnonen, flute, Okko Kivikataja, clarinet, Marko Hilpo, piano, Maria Puusaari, viulu, Max Savikangas, alttoviulu, Pinja Laine, sello), Lauri Toivio, conductor

Commisioned by / dedications

Commissioned by Asociación Hoquetus & Camerata del Gran Teatro Falla and Festival Imeroamerico de Teatro de Cádiz, Spain.

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