Canadian Stage's Matthew Jocelyn Pens Libretto for Major International Opera
By: A.A. Cristi May. 30, 2017
Canadian Stage Artistic & General Director Matthew Jocelyn, along with internationally-acclaimed Canadian-born Soprano Barbara Hannigan, will represent Canada at the 2017 edition of the UK's Glyndebourne Festival, one of the world's oldest and most celebrated opera festivals.
For his latest international venture, Jocelyn has penned the libretto of Hamlet, Australian composer Brett Dean's (Bliss) new opera based on Shakespeare's best-known tragedy. With Hannigan making her Glyndebourne premiere in the role of Ophelia, Hamlet is set to perform at the East Sussex opera rendez-vous from June 11 to July 6, directed by Neil Armfield and conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Called "one of the most eagerly anticipated premieres of the year" by London's The Telegraph, Hamlet marks another significant musical project for Jocelyn, whose international reputation as a director and librettist includes many noted operatic adaptations of literary works: Requiem for a Nun (based on the text by William Faulkner, composed by Oscar Strasnoy, Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires),or Le bal (based on the text by Irène Nemirovsky, composed by Oscar Strasnoy, Hamburg Staatsoper, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, Prinzregententheater, Munich).To be, or not to be. This is Hamlet's dilemma, and the essence of Shakespeare's most famous and arguably greatest work, given new life in operatic form in this original Glyndebourne commission.Thoughts of murder and revenge drive Hamlet when he learns that it was his uncle Claudius who killed his father, the King of Denmark, then seized his father's crown and wife.But Hamlet's vengeance vies with the question: is suicide a morally valid deed in an unbearably painful world? Dean's colourful, energetic, witty and richly lyrical music expertly captures the modernity of Shakespeare's timeless tale, while also exploiting the traditional operatic elements of arias, ensembles and choruses. Matthew Jocelyn's libretto is pure Shakespeare, adhering to the Bard's narrative thread but abridging, re-configuring and interweaving it into motifs that highlight the main dramatic themes: death, madness, the impossibility of certainty and the complexities of action. About Glyndebourne
Founded in 1934 by John Christie and his opera singer wife, Audrey Mildmay, Glyndebourne is committed to presenting opera of the highest quality, commissioning new work, developing new talent and reaching new audiences. For more information: Glyndebourne.com About Canadian Stage - celebrating 30 seasons
Founded in 1987, Canadian Stage is one of the country's leading not-for-profit contemporary performing arts companies, sharing new, innovative stage work from Canada and around the world. Led by Artistic & General Director Matthew Jocelyn, Canadian Stage produces and presents a new hybrid of multidisciplinary performance that pushes the boundaries of form and style, integrating theatre, dance, music, multimedia and more. Canadian Stage is dedicated to reinforcing the presence of Canadian art and artists within an international cultural dialogue, by acting as a home, incubator and exporter of leading Canadian and global performance. The company stages an annual season at three historic locations: the Bluma Appel Theatre; the Berkeley Street Theatre; and the High Park Amphitheatre, home to Shakespeare in High Park. Offering a range of education, artist training and community outreach programs, Canadian Stage is committed to cultivating tomorrow's artistic innovators and audiences. For more information, visit www.canadianstage.com.
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