Les Enfants Terribles x The Dreamers in Filmhuis Lumière

Author Archives:Fanny Bartels

• Les Enfants Terribles x The Dreamers in Filmhuis Lumière

  25 February 202614:50 Leave a Comment

  Filmhuis Lumière
  
  Op woensdag 4 maart presenteert Lumière in samenwerking met Opera Zuid The Dreamers (2003) van Bernardo Bertolucci. De film sluit aan bij OZ-opera Les Enfants Terribles (14 t/m 24 maart). Beide werken vinden hun oorsprong in de gelijknamige roman van Jean Cocteau uit 1929.
  
  The Dreamers is geen directe verfilming van de roman of de opera, maar een vrije interpretatie binnen hetzelfde literaire universum. Bertolucci plaatst het verhaal in het Parijs van 1968 en verkent verwante thema’s als jeugd, intimiteit en escapisme, en de botsing tussen een afgesloten fantasiewereld en de maatschappelijke realiteit daarbuiten.
  
  Voorafgaand aan de film is er een Engelstalige introductie door OZ-dramaturg Joep Hupperetz en een live performance door een van de zangers en pianist.
  
  Locatie:
  Filmhuis Lumière, Maastricht
  Tijdschema 4 maart 2026:
  19:15u – zaal open
  19:30u – Start introductie en performance
  19:45u – Start film
  
  Alle info & tickets via Lumiere.nl.
  
  

• Die Dreigroschenoper is one big challenge

  27 October 202513:46 Leave a Comment

  They both love sinking their teeth into something – and they’ve done so together more than once. But how do musical director Enrico Delamboye and singer Maartje Rammeloo make The Threepenny Opera entirely their own? ‘There are hardly any conventions you have to stick to; that’s refreshing, but also challenging.’ A conversation between two partners in crime about multitasking, connection, and creating something truly unique.
  
  Enrico, The Threepenny Opera is hard to categorise because of its mix of musical styles. How would you describe the work?
  Enrico: ‘A pastiche de plaisir! It’s indeed a blend: there’s classical music, Sprechgesang, elements of show and musical theatre… I absolutely love that exchanging of styles. I enjoy bringing together a wide range of styles in one piece. The Threepenny Opera leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and there are few classical conventions to follow. That’s very refreshing. We have to figure out our own approach, and that’s different for every section. But as simple and straightforward as The Threepenny Opera may sound, it demands an enormous amount of stylistic knowledge, focus and skill – not least because I’ve got the singers right behind me in this production, instead of in front.’
  Maartje: ‘Normally, the orchestra is in the pit beneath the stage, and in that setup we often have direct eye contact with the conductor. But since the orchestra and conductor are now positioned at the back of the stage, we have to follow Enrico’s beat on the monitor and try to create some kind of energetic connection… It really shows what a bizarrely multitasking profession opera is – we have to remember our lines, perform physical actions, manage costumes and props, stay vocally precise, and remain instinctively connected to everyone around us.’
  
  Maartje, this is your first Threepenny Opera as well, how are you finding Weill?
  Maartje: ‘I notice that this opera, and the role of Polly Peachum, demand much more from my head than I’m used to. I love diving completely into a role emotionally, singing and acting from my feelings. [laughs] But that’s exactly what Brecht doesn’t want; for you to feel a connection with your character! The audience isn’t supposed to feel too much either; they’re meant to think. Still, I love the challenge of making the role my own vocally, bringing together all the little technical tricks I’ve gathered over the years into one organic whole that fits the style and character of the piece.’
  Enrico: ‘May I tell them what you wrote to me?’
  Maartje: ‘Go on, then.’
  Enrico: ‘Before rehearsals began, she sent me a little practice recording, asking: “Is this the right direction?” And I said: it’s beautiful, but sometimes still too beautiful.’
  Maartje: ‘And I thought: this is completely out of my comfort zone, but I’m on the right track, rougher than I’m used to, with much more focus on the text, and less on vocal beauty!’
  Enrico: ‘Classically trained singers are so used to polishing everything, to making it smooth, to feeling that emotional connection. Whereas in this opera, you’re not only playing a role, but also acting as a reflective element, showing and hearing the rawness. It’s a kind of well-coordinated roughness. I love that challenge! The more impossible something seems, the more fun it is for me. But Maartje, we can always be open and honest with each other, can’t we? So you didn’t mind me saying that?’
  Maartje: ‘No, not at all! We’ve worked together for so long; I really value being able to talk about these things. I do still find it a bit daunting, though, that many audience members already have a fixed idea of how Weill should sound. So I keep asking myself: how can I win the character over, how can I make this my own?’
  Enrico: ‘The Threepenny Opera sounds completely different in every production. We’re obliged – with great respect for the original – to create our own version. I don’t want a Lotte Lenya sound from you or the other singers; that wouldn’t be right.’
  Maartje: ‘Luckily, I love getting my teeth into something and pushing myself to the limit!’
  
  With what kind of mindset should the audience approach The Threepenny Opera?
  Maartje: ‘As blank as possible!’
  Enrico: ‘Bring your brain and your ears!’
  Maartje: ‘And leave everything you know about Weill and Brecht at home.’
  Enrico: ‘You’re about to see a piece about the darkness of humanity…’
  Maartje: ‘Exactly. This piece should really simmer for a while afterwards. Brecht said the audience shouldn’t just feel something, they should leave the theatre changed. So the more open-minded you enter with, the more this production will be able to work it’s magic on you.’
  
   

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• Confrontation and entertainment in Die Dreigroschenoper

  13:27 Leave a Comment

  Dramaturgy. What does it involve, what do dramaturgs actually do, and what role do they play in The Threepenny Opera?
  Toneelgroep Maastricht dramaturg Ludo Costongs and Opera Zuid dramaturg Joep Hupperetz are collaborating on this iconic work by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. The result is a fascinating conversation about their craft, epic theatre, and sharp social criticism wrapped in toe-tapping jazzy music.
  
  What exactly does dramaturgy involve, and what are your roles in The Threepenny Opera?
  Joep: ‘A dramaturg researches the background of the piece being performed. After that, we’re essentially the first audience member.’
  Ludo: ‘Exactly. A dramaturg checks whether the action fits the text, whether it’s clear what we’re seeing and whether it matches what the director wants to convey. We make sure the actor’s line of thought makes sense and is understandable for the audience. I’ve also been involved in translating and shortening The Threepenny Opera.’
  Joep: ‘In the original Dreigroschenoper, the roles were written for actors and just one classical singer. We’ve turned that around: our Threepenny Opera is performed by one actor who can also sing, alongside opera singers. That allows us to perform all the musical numbers – including those that were originally cut because the actors couldn’t manage them vocally. As a result, our version actually contains more (original!) music than the ‘standard’ Threepenny Opera.’
  
  What did Brecht and Weill want to convey with The Threepenny Opera?
  Ludo: ‘Brecht’s work is an adaptation of The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay from 1728. In his new version, he put the lives of beggars at the centre. In 1928, Brecht wanted to draw attention to an important social issue: how society treated the victims of industrialisation and the First World War. Brecht and Weill wanted audiences to look critically at the darker sides of capitalism. The message, however, wasn’t always received as they’d hoped.’
  Joep: ‘Indeed. The Threepenny Opera was a success, but not necessarily because of its social criticism. The songs, for instance, became popular as pop and jazz hits… whereas Brecht and Weill had actually thought that the combination of harsh, critical lyrics – the Ballad of Mack the Knife is an indictment of unsolved murders and crimes! – with cheerful, danceable tunes would create a sense of alienation for the audience.’
  
  What’s the purpose of that alienation?
  Joep: ‘The audience should feel a certain distance from what happens on stage  they shouldn’t be swept away emotionally, as in Romantic opera. Brecht called this epic theatre. He thought opera was an excellent medium for that, because the moment someone starts singing, it’s automatically far removed from reality. After all, no one argues in song in real life.’
  Ludo: ‘The Verfremdungseffekt – or alienation effect – is a technique to make the audience aware that they’re watching theatre, with the aim of encouraging them to reflect on their own situation or the world around them. You can create that effect, for instance, through a sudden change of lighting, or by having singers address the audience directly. Through such a stylistic break – that moment of alienation – a character or an action is suddenly seen in a new light. Brecht and Weill force the people in the auditorium to think about what they’re seeing.’
  Joep: ‘In our production, the surtitles strengthen that effect. Especially in the sung numbers, where the music sounds light and rhythmic, reading the text in your own language adds another layer, a sense of immediacy. The message hits harder that way.’
  
  Why stage The Threepenny Opera now?
  Ludo: ‘In recent years, we’ve given free rein to hyper-capitalist thinking. As a result, social discontent has grown. The Threepenny Opera shows, in a simple yet sharp way, what happens when you push that thinking to the extreme, that it’s hardly surprising when unrest follows. The piece doesn’t offer a solution, but it certainly provokes thought. Brecht believed society is man-made: we’ve shaped it into what it is today, so we can also steer it in another direction. See it, recognise it… do something about it!’
  Joep: ‘And what better sounds to do that to than Weill’s jazzy, cabaret-like music? That contrast – that tension between confrontation and entertainment – that’s the essence of The Threepenny Opera: it rubs up against itself on every level.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• Theatre animals on the opera stage

  13:17 Leave a Comment

  Both come from the world of theatre, and both are now diving headfirst into Die Dreigroschenoper. We speak to director Servé Hermans and actor-singer Maarten Heijmans just as rehearsals have begun. How does it feel to be working on an opera? How do they see the character of Macheath? And what do they think of the music in this iconic masterpiece?

  This is your operatic debut for both of you. How’s that experience been so far?
  Servé: ‘Our hope and ambition is that theatre and opera will enhance each other in this production – that together they’ll become more than the sum of their parts. There’s a lot of spoken dialogue, so this is really a show for stage animals. The singers are incredibly talented in that respect. They love embracing the adventure. You can feel that.’
  Maarten: ‘Absolutely! I’m thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Macheath. This piece sits right on the edge between theatre and opera, so it doesn’t feel entirely foreign to me.’
  
  How is your collaboration going so far?
  Maarten: ‘I feel like we really understand each other – partly because we come from the same (theatre) world. And I sense that we both want the very best for the production. So I really enjoy being part of Servé’s direction.’
  Servé: ‘I find Maarten incredibly inspiring – one of the most complete actor-singers out there. He’s a dangerous performer, but also funny, and he can actually sing everything. That makes him unique – for me, the perfect Mack the Knife.’
  Maarten (softly): ‘That’s lovely to hear.’

  What do you mean by ‘dangerous’?
  Servé: ‘There’s a great sense of unpredictability and creativity in his acting. Sometimes Maarten approaches a scene in such an unusual way that it suddenly makes perfect sense – just not in the way you expected. Maartje [Rammeloo, ed.] has that too. She can play with a beautiful volatility. I find that incredibly exciting in this piece.’
  

  How did you both prepare for this opera?
  Maarten: ‘Just like for a play, I read up on it and watched the film version of The Threepenny Opera. Opera singers usually know their vocal parts before rehearsals even start – in theatre, that’s not the case. We normally begin from scratch on day one. Luckily, I pick up the music quite quickly; I just have to get used to the German text. That’s been the biggest challenge for me so far.’
  Servé: ‘Alongside countless conversations with the creative team, I make endless little sketches. That way I can clearly see how the mise-en-scène works, how the piece moves from beginning to end. I create the general structure, and then I respond to what the performers bring to the table. The most important thing is that our direction creates a certain distance – because of the Verfremdungseffekt. According to Brecht, the audience shouldn’t identify too closely with the characters, so the message can come through more clearly. That’s why I try to present the text as plainly and neutrally as possible, so the audience can – if they wish – pick out the themes for themselves.’

  Maarten, how do you want to portray Macheath?
  Maarten: ‘Macheath is a ruthless murderer, a charming criminal, and sometimes a bit of a fool. He gets thrown in jail, escapes, then lands back there again because he needs validation from a woman. That complexity is what makes the role so much fun to play. When things contradict or rub up against each other, that’s when it becomes truly interesting for me.’
  

  What do you both think of Weill’s eclectic music?
  Servé: ‘I think it’s fantastic! The lyrics are sharp, cheeky, brutal, even grotesque – but the music itself has something comforting and full about it. That combination is absolutely brilliant.’
  Maarten: ‘I don’t find the music beautiful in a conventional sense – it’s a bit eerie… circus-like, playful. And it’s funny, too – at least, I think so.’
  

  How do you hope the audience will feel as they leave the theatre?
  Maarten: ‘I hope they’ll be whistling the melodies on their way out. Any moral lessons they take away will probably surface later on, subconsciously – but not right then and there. That’s not how theatre works, in my view.’
  Servé: ‘This piece is funny, but it actually shows a rotten world. We see a society where everyone wants to make things better for themselves – not, or even at the expense of, others. How much more relevant can you get? The Threepenny Opera gives a dystopian vision of what happens when civilisation becomes over-civilised. But I don’t make political theatre. And The Threepenny Opera will never shove its message down your throat. It offers you glorious music, vivid characters, humour, sensuality… and a world that’s utterly broken. Do with that what you will.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• New chairman and vice-chairman Supervisory Board

  4 July 202509:30 Comments Off on New chairman and vice-chairman Supervisory Board

  Opera Zuid is extremely pleased to announce that Ms Truze M. Lodder, business director of De Nederlandse Opera (now Nationale Opera & Ballet) for many years, has agreed to chair the Supervisory Board. As chairman, she will succeed Marc Heuvelmans, who will step down on 3 September due to having reached the maximum term. Another solid enrichment in the Supervisory Board is Mr Barry Braeken (director-director Weller Wonen Heerlen), who will assume the position of vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board.

  Truze M. Lodder (Oud-Beijerland, 1948)
  Truze Lodder was business director of De Nederlandse Opera from 1987 to 2012, and as such worked for many years with artistic director Pierre Audi (who sadly died far too young on 3 May this year). Together, they put De Nederlandse Opera on the international map, and their fruitful collaboration led to such unforgettable successes as the Monteverdi cycle, Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and Rêves d’un Marco Polo by Claude Vivier. Truze Lodder also held many supervisory and board positions, including at Donemus, the Van Gogh Museum, Opera Europa, Maastricht University, Nationale Jeugdorkesten Nederland, the Stedelijk Museum, Dutch Railways and Van Lanschot. Truze Lodder received several awards: she was, among others, appointed Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje Nassau and received the Frans Banninck Cocq Penning of the city of Amsterdam.

  Barry Braeken (Heerlen, 1975)
  Barry Braeken is a committed administrator with deep roots in Heerlen, who effectively uses his experience as a history and social studies teacher and as a civil servant at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. As a former alderman, he combines administrative experience with local involvement. Previously, he was expo manager at IBA Parkstad and played a key role in urban renewal. Barry Braeken has been managing director of Weller Wonen in Heerlen since 2021. Until 2024, he was chairman of the Supervisory Board at Via Zuid.

• Bluebeard’s Castle now on OperaVision

  13 May 202514:02 Comments Off on Bluebeard’s Castle now on OperaVision

  Bluebeard’s Castle (Opera of the Year 2024) by Béla Bartók can be seen on the streaming platform OperaVision!

  Béla Bartók’s opera is a psychological thriller about how much truth love can endure. The musical piece tells the story of Judith who marries the mysterious Bluebeard. In her desire to get to know him, she cannot contain her curiosity. The overwhelming music, in which the Hungarian composer masterfully pulls open all the stops of the orchestra, does the rest.

  ‘Bluebeard’s Castle is about getting to know each other, wanting to know everything about each other and how that can lead to having to reveal parts of your inner self that you would prefer to keep secret from the other, maybe even from yourself.’ – director Kenza Koutchoukali

  ‘Bartók’s music is human, honest and direct’ – musical director Duncan Ward

  Enjoy (once again) this impressive opera with top soloists Thomas Oliemans and Deirdre Angenent, directed by Kenza Koutchoukali and conducted by Duncan Ward, who has his Philzuid as the third character to shine on stage.

  Bluebeard’s Castle can be seen on operavision.eu until November 9, 2025, 12.

• Die Dreigroschenoper continues!

  25 April 202517:35 Comments Off on Die Dreigroschenoper continues!

  With the opening production of season 2025/2026 – Die Dreigroschenoper (Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht) – Opera Zuid enters into a unique collaboration with a number of performing arts organisations from the Southern Netherlands. Theatre aan het Vrijthof, Opera Zuid, Toneelgroep Maastricht, Philzuid and PLT Theaters are joining forces to develop this shimmering musical theatre work, which focuses on both socio-artistic objectives and a new interpretation of Brecht’s and Weill’s work.

  As a BIS institution for the Culture Note period 2025-2028, Opera Zuid will receive less funding from the central government than advised by the Council for Culture and will therefore also have an underfunded subsidy base from the BIS for the next four years. Die Dreigroschenoper is therefore partly made possible by cooperation with the partners and by additional funding from decentralised authorities, sponsors and private funds: the Provinces of Limburg and North Brabant, the Municipality of Maastricht, André and Marjorie Rieu, the VSB Fund, Cultuurfonds, the Gubbels-Huijnen Foundation and Stichting Kanunnik Salden/Nieuwenhof. Most of the additional funding is in place. Pending the finalisation of the fundraising campaign, the Friends of Philzuid Foundation guarantees the continuation of Die Dreigroschenoper by means of a bridging loan.

  Early ticket sales for the performances at Theater aan het Vrijthof, Parktheater Eindhoven and PLT Theatres will start on Tuesday 29 April.

• Saying yes to everything and making the impossible possible

  22 April 202512:46 Leave a Comment

  For set and lighting designer Bretta Gerecke and costume designer Marrit van der Burgt, creating theatre is like being on a treasure hunt – you never know where you’ll end up or what you’ll discover along the way. And there are many paths to reach that treasure. One essential condition: saying yes, in order to keep every option open. A conversation about Le Villi & Silenzio and the role their designs play in this opera.

  Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
  Marrit: ‘As soon as I read a libretto or script, images and colours appear in my mind. Then I dive into books, photographs, films, and reflect on the many journeys I’ve been on. For Le Villi, I thought of old Japanese villages, where men and women dress almost identically in natural fabrics like linen and cotton. That Japanese style of draping fabric around the body works really well in this concept. The dancers and singers actually shape the costumes: they create the silhouettes through movement – I just provide the material.’
  Bretta: ‘Because Le Villi is mainly set in the woods, my starting point was nature. I looked at trees, installation art, sculpture, and land art. Dreya’s background and wishes in choreography and aerial performance also guided us. Those stretchy, transparent materials – essential for movement on the ground and in the air – formed the foundation. That eventually led to this transforming forest.’

  Bretta, how do you translate the themes of Silenzio and Le Villi into a visual world?
  Bretta: ‘The stage is essentially a closed circuit of fabric, with trees at the centre. There are also fabrics that fly in and out of the stage, reshaping the set again and again. In Silenzio, we use those borders to represent Anna’s emotional world – sometimes she hides, sometimes she reveals herself. With just a few elements, we can distinguish between Silenzio and Le Villi, while also emphasizing their narrative connection.’

  Marrit, what is the core concept behind your costume designs?
  Marrit: ‘The Villi are dead and buried, but they live on through the trees; so their clothing is timeless yet decayed. The degree of decay reflects how long they’ve been among the Villi. At the same time, we want to show which family members (living or dead) are connected – we do that through different color accents in their clothes. There’s also a clear contrast between the Villi’s natural world and the dark, chaotic city where Roberto must claim his inheritance. For the city costumes – in contrast to the flowing fabrics of the natural world – I created strong silhouettes that complement the images Bretta creates in those scenes.’
  Bretta: ‘The city is definitely the opposite of nature, with almost geometric shapes. With the lowered panels and our use of light and color, we create a completely different world.’

  How does the collaboration with everyone involved unfold?
  Bretta: ‘Theatre-making is a living process, and each production is unique. Change one element – one singer or one dancer – and everything shifts. We’re one organism, creating something that can only exist in this moment. It’s a bit like being on a treasure hunt: you can take many routes, and you never know who brings what, what you’ll carry forward, or where you’ll end up.’
  Marrit: ‘I love that there’s space for improvisation. Just recently, we suddenly came up with the idea that someone needs to go up in the air – upside down – even though that could be tricky. But then Dreya said, ‘if something’s difficult, that’s exactly what makes it interesting to watch.’ I love that attitude: that’s how the most beautiful things come to life!’
  Bretta: ‘That’s what we call Yes and… No no, or yes, but.’
  Marrit: ‘No isn’t an option. If you want to make theatre, you can’t say no.’
  Bretta: ‘Exactly. You have to explore all possibilities. You have to go on that journey to discover where you’ll end up. There’s only one thing you know for certain: the curtain will go up. And no designer ever feels like it’s truly finished.’
  Marrit, laughing: ‘And yet it is finished on opening night. Simply because it has to be.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• Anna unveiled

  12:23 Leave a Comment

  With Silenzio, composer Karmit Fadael offers the audience a glimpse into the inner world of Anna – the main character from Le Villi. Soprano Sílvia Sequeira gives her a voice. How does a new work like this come into being, how do you convey it to the audience, and to what extent is that a collaboration between composer and singer? After a long day of rehearsals, the two women sit down on the terrace and talk.

  Karmit, what inspired you most when composing Silenzio?
  Karmit: ‘The story of Le Villi was my starting point. I was curious how I could give the character of Anna more depth. In Le Villi, things just happen to her, I wanted to show the audience what I imagine is going on inside her head. I started with the text, together with Rick van Veldhuizen. Then I began improvising on the piano, the violin, and with my voice. That’s how I gradually developed the sounds that represent Anna’s inner world. They’re often thoughts turned into melodies: magical, dreamy, anxious – very emotional, in any case.’

  How would you describe your style in Silenzio?
  Karmit: ‘My style is – unlike Puccini’s Romantic one – more baroque-contemporary. In this work, I was especially guided by the idea of a character who has lost herself, so her emotional state isn’t calm, but fragmented and intense.’

  What is that like for you to sing, Sílvia?
  Sílvia: ‘Karmit’s music, with all its different colours and emotions, I sing with a narrower voice. My sound has to come from a single line, whereas with Puccini, I just open my mouth and body and let the sound resonate everywhere. In Silenzio, I use a vocal technique that’s more typical of the Baroque period, and in Le Villi, my lush Romantic voice takes over. I sing Silenzio more with the head, to convey Anna’s thoughts. I have less freedom in that, and I need to be more precise. Whereas Puccini’s music is pure emotion, straight from the heart: if I feel it, I can stretch lines or notes more freely.’
  
   

  Karmit, did you already have Sílvia in mind while writing Silenzio?
  Karmit: ‘Absolutely. I listened to countless recordings of Sílvia and spoke with her.’
  Sílvia: ‘It was wonderful that Karmit asked about my vocal range, what’s most comfortable for my voice, what my strengths are. It really feels like a collaboration.’
  Karmit: ‘I think it’s really important to explore together what works best.’
  Sílvia: ‘It was fantastic that Karmit immediately adjusted something when I said it wasn’t working so well for my voice. I’m really happy with this score. And it’s such a joy to be able to ask a living composer directly how they want something to sound. That makes it much easier to build and unravel Anna’s character.’
  Karmit: ‘As a composer, all you do is put notes on paper. Then it almost feels like the piece is being recomposed through the performer’s interpretation. I really love working together with the singer or instrumentalist(s), and writing it in a way that feels good for them. It’s always beautiful to see what they do with the work.’

  Does singing Silenzio influence how you interpret Le Villi?
  Sílvia: ‘Definitely. Because we perform Silenzio first, I have to approach Le Villi a bit differently than I would if we were just doing Le Villi on its own. I want to make sure the two pieces connect well and feel like a cohesive whole.’

  You’ve sung many of Puccini’s operas – what’s it like to perform his very first opera? Sílvia: ‘Puccini is one of my favourite composers! And Le Villi is beautiful. You just notice in small ways that he was still a bit inexperienced, especially in writing for singers. He experiments and learns, just like anyone at the beginning. And because of that, I finally get to see him as a human being, not just a genius. That doesn’t take away from the beauty of this piece – I absolutely love singing Puccini. And Silenzio too!’
  
   

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• Hope, forgiveness and rebirth

  11:05 Leave a Comment

  From the very first moment that musical director Karel Deseure and director, choreographer and aerialist Dreya Weber meet, they find themselves in an intense conversation about Silenzio, Le Villi, and theatre as a whole. They are completely aligned when it comes to the heart of this opera: hope, the possibility of forgiveness, and rebirth, all captured in the theatrical, magical image of a living forest full of Villi.

  What is it like to conduct the brand-new work Silenzio of Karmit Fadael?
  Karel: ‘It’s incredibly exciting and a huge responsibility. I’m the first conductor to interpret it, the first to discover the music. I just hope I can make it sound the way Karmit imagined it in her mind.’

  What is the connection between Silenzio and Le Villi, Puccini’s first opera? Dreya: ‘Le Villi begins in the middle of the story, at Roberto and Anna’s engagement celebration. We already see that Anna’s mother is missing. So much has happened before we even begin. Silenzio gives us the chance to explore and understand Anna’s inner world.’
  Karel: ‘In Puccini’s work, there’s very little focus on Anna’s thoughts and questions. That we now begin Silenzio from that perspective is something I find truly fascinating. In Le Villi, the focus is more on Roberto – the one who caused the suffering – and his pain. Anna’s grief is hardly seen. Only at the end she sings of how deeply she suffered in silence, so much so that she died of sorrow. Musically, that’s portrayed so beautifully: Roberto and Anna sing in unison in a low register, where the voice sounds more fragile than in the higher. That vulnerability expresses such deep pain; both in the ‘betrayer’ and in the one who was betrayed. Gorgeous.’

  What does your direction look like, Dreya?
  Dreya: ‘In my direction, the Villi are spirits of people who died of a broken heart, their souls reborn as the trees of the forest. That cycle of life and death is a key theme in this piece. The forest of the Villi is both witness to the unfolding story and an active participant. It’s the wildness of the forest that makes it hard for Roberto in the end to breathe, he feels suffocated. But is it the Villi causing this, or is it his own guilt taking his breath away?’

  How do you incorporate aerial work into the opera?
  Dreya: ‘A theatre teacher once told me: ‘Sometimes characters must sing, because there’s no other way to express what they’re feeling.’’
  Karel (interrupts enthusiastically): ‘That’s exactly how I feel about opera! It’s like simply speaking the words isn’t enough, it has to be sung.’
  Dreya: ‘Exactly. And that’s how I feel about being in the air. Sometimes the drama transcends the earth. Some moments are too vast for the ground, then there’s only the sky.’

  What are your thoughts on Puccini’s music?
  Karel: ‘Puccini is a genius. People call Le Villi a youth work, but everything that characterizes his later music is already here! He had the incredible gift of writing deeply moving melodies, and no one captures human emotion like Puccini. In the aria sung by Guglielmo, Anna’s father, he writes straziante – that means that it must be played heartbreakingly. I’ve never seen that word in a score by any other composer. And it truly sounds that way: the cellos – representing Guglielmo’s inner turmoil – play over a sustained low note that stays fixed, like he is stuck in his grief.’
  Dreya: ‘The magnitude of emotion Puccini conveys… I get chills every time I hear his music. He knows exactly what humanity should sound like.’

  Karel: ‘I believe that’s the most important purpose of theatre: to give space to human emotion, to feel empathy for characters, even if you don’t agree with their actions, to still understand where they’re coming from.’
  Dreya: ‘That’s why it’s so important to me that this work offers hope. We all make mistakes – just like Roberto – but the chance to reinvent yourself, to be forgiven… it really does exist.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram