Short Opera's
At the Yo! Opera Festival 2011, the programme showed not only three major operas, but also no less than 19 short operas. Young producers from various backgrounds were asked to make a short and powerful vocal piece, casually based on the theme 'Young Heroes'. According to Yo! Opera, the world needs heroes. At all times. People who go against the current in order to realise their dreams. Who act without thinking of the consequences. Who make a difference and by doing so set an example to others.
The producers got busy, using their fantasy and creativity. The result was a kaleidoscope of music theatrical experiences. One time the audience imaged themselves in the warm, agreeable and homely atmosphere created by the Iranian musician Sahand Sahebdivani's in 'Mezrab'; the next they found themselves in the loud performance 'Sound of Protest' by the Greek composer Thanasis Deligiannis. The Occupy Movement, which came into existence in 2011, was at the centre of 'Talking 'bout a revolution' by T.I.M.E., a school for music theatre producers, which also made two other shows. Strangely enough, there was no singing in 'Heroïne'. Breathing – the basis of the human voice – was central there. And in 'STURM' a song by Schubert ('Mut') was presented in the context of a pubertal party. Very, very young talents came from schools in Utrecht. They starred in the two exciting presentations 'Ik Held' [I, Hero] and 'Tante is jarig' [Aunt's Birthday].
More experienced producers also had a role in the festival programme. Matthias Mooij and Thomas Myrmel's presentation 'A Chair on Two Legs' was inspired by hero and charlatan Philippe Petit and his walk on a cable suspended between the Twin Towers. In 'BITCH', opera singer Charles Hens worked together with nine young people on a very intense confrontation between Wagner's music and their personal stories. 'Het starende Meisje' [The Staring Girl] by the Belgian Zonzo Compagnie was an expressive performance with music by Jan van Outryve, and the Amsterdam Likeminds had set British director Benji Reid at Verdi's arrangement of the famous Shakespeare drama 'Othello'.
The two solo performances 'King of the Universe' and the inspiring musical travel report of a European hitching trip with a caravan by the Utrecht-based Tjerk Ridder made clear that opera can also be based on pop music. Susies Haarlok's 'Veldwerk' [Field Work] mixed texts by youth from Utrecht (projected on video screens) with powerful, often comic pop songs such as 'Ondiep-Zuid for Life' [Ondiep is the name of a neighbourhood in Utrecht]. The postmodern novel 'Bear vs. Shark' formed the basis for the presentation by director Arlon Luyten and composers Elizabeth van der Kooij and Ben Lammerts van Bueren, whilst 'Elvis 2.0', the very first opera production by singer/composer Kasper Tarenskeen, was presented in the main hall of theatre Huis a/d Werf. The foyer hosted 'De Tweede Mijl' [The Second Mile] by Anthony Dunstan, which dealt with the difficult dilemma's a young composer is confronted with – the choice between art and reality.
The Short Operas of Yo! Opera's final festival gave insight in what opera could be like in the future, seen from the perspective of young makers. Big and small emotions, personal and idealistic, serious and funny. Everything was possible in these 19 short operas of 15 minutes each.
The producers got busy, using their fantasy and creativity. The result was a kaleidoscope of music theatrical experiences. One time the audience imaged themselves in the warm, agreeable and homely atmosphere created by the Iranian musician Sahand Sahebdivani's in 'Mezrab'; the next they found themselves in the loud performance 'Sound of Protest' by the Greek composer Thanasis Deligiannis. The Occupy Movement, which came into existence in 2011, was at the centre of 'Talking 'bout a revolution' by T.I.M.E., a school for music theatre producers, which also made two other shows. Strangely enough, there was no singing in 'Heroïne'. Breathing – the basis of the human voice – was central there. And in 'STURM' a song by Schubert ('Mut') was presented in the context of a pubertal party. Very, very young talents came from schools in Utrecht. They starred in the two exciting presentations 'Ik Held' [I, Hero] and 'Tante is jarig' [Aunt's Birthday].
More experienced producers also had a role in the festival programme. Matthias Mooij and Thomas Myrmel's presentation 'A Chair on Two Legs' was inspired by hero and charlatan Philippe Petit and his walk on a cable suspended between the Twin Towers. In 'BITCH', opera singer Charles Hens worked together with nine young people on a very intense confrontation between Wagner's music and their personal stories. 'Het starende Meisje' [The Staring Girl] by the Belgian Zonzo Compagnie was an expressive performance with music by Jan van Outryve, and the Amsterdam Likeminds had set British director Benji Reid at Verdi's arrangement of the famous Shakespeare drama 'Othello'.
The two solo performances 'King of the Universe' and the inspiring musical travel report of a European hitching trip with a caravan by the Utrecht-based Tjerk Ridder made clear that opera can also be based on pop music. Susies Haarlok's 'Veldwerk' [Field Work] mixed texts by youth from Utrecht (projected on video screens) with powerful, often comic pop songs such as 'Ondiep-Zuid for Life' [Ondiep is the name of a neighbourhood in Utrecht]. The postmodern novel 'Bear vs. Shark' formed the basis for the presentation by director Arlon Luyten and composers Elizabeth van der Kooij and Ben Lammerts van Bueren, whilst 'Elvis 2.0', the very first opera production by singer/composer Kasper Tarenskeen, was presented in the main hall of theatre Huis a/d Werf. The foyer hosted 'De Tweede Mijl' [The Second Mile] by Anthony Dunstan, which dealt with the difficult dilemma's a young composer is confronted with – the choice between art and reality.
The Short Operas of Yo! Opera's final festival gave insight in what opera could be like in the future, seen from the perspective of young makers. Big and small emotions, personal and idealistic, serious and funny. Everything was possible in these 19 short operas of 15 minutes each.
