Idiosyncratic yet overwhelming, difficult yet visionary, momentous yet somehow overlooked, George Enescu's 'Oedipe' is one of the creative triumphs of modernist operatic realm. We are celebrating the absolute premiere of this enigmatic masterpiece in Great Britain with a month of stellar events dedicated to one of the most innovative geniuses of the 20thcentury classical music. Revolving around the new star-studded production which runs at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden from 23 May to 8 June, 'The Oedipe Month in London' offers, through concerts, talks and exhibitions, a comprehensive insight into the aesthetic conception, original soundscape and moral convictions of the greatest Romanian composer.
Featuring: Valentina Carrasco, Sarah Connolly, Dan Dediu, Lauren Fagan, Kasper Holten, Leo Hussain, Àlex Ollé, Johan Reuter, Sir John Tomlinson, Rodica Vică and Yuriy Yurchuk. With the support of Cristina Andrei,Cornel Brad, Diana Ionescu and Christopher Willis. Full biographies here.
Organised with the support of the Romanian Embassy to the United Kingdom, George Enescu National Museum in Bucharest, and Media Cars.
4 May, 7.15pm, Clore Studio Upstairs at the Royal Opera House
Insight: Oedipe - talk and music
tickets £7 - £17; book HERE
Directors Àlex Ollé and Valentina Carrasco together with conductor Leo Hussain, creative driving forces behind Covent Garden's 'Oedipe', are joined by composer and academic Dan Dediu of the National University of Music in Bucharest, in a conversation about the ground-breaking complexity of Enescu's operatic vision as well as the artistic travail of transforming the haunting masterpiece into a total theatrical experience. Bass Sir John Tomlinson, mezzo-sopranoSarah Connolly and bass-baritone Johan Reuter, the new production's principals, discuss their approach to the opera's exacting roles and its visually striking mis-en-scène.
Artist involvement may be subject to change at the last minute.
5 May, 7pm, Romanian Cultural Institute
Enescu for Voice - talk and music
free event; please book your seat on Eventbrite
A musical giant with panoramic artistic interests, Enescu is better known as outstanding performer and symphonic composer. Yet his musical ventures into the expressive universe of human voice, as illustrated by 'Oedipe' as well as his lieder, prove no less daring or fascinating. We explore the great composer's vocal legacy through operatic fragments and songs in the company of bass-baritone Johan Reuter, the star of the Covent Garden production, Kasper Holten, Director of Opera at Royal Opera House, conductor Leo Hussain and composer Dan Dediu. With special appearances by soprano Rodica Vică (Romanian National Opera in Bucharest), accompanied by pianist Diana Ionescu, and Lauren Fagan and Yuriy Yurchuk (both part of Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at ROH), accompanied by Christopher Willis.
Programme:
Welcome speech by Dorian Branea, director of the RCI
Dan Dediu on 'Oedipe''s universe
Rodica Vică & Diana Ionescu: 'Estrene à Anne', 'Languir me fais', 'Present de couleur blanche' and 'Du confict en douleur' from Enescu's lieder cycle '7 Chansons de Clément Marot'
Leo Hussain on 'Oedipe''s music
Johan Reuter on the role of Oedipe
Kasper Holten on 'Oedipe' at the Royal Opera House
Music from 'Oedipe' performed by Johan Reuter, Lauren Fagan, Yuriy Yurchuk and Christopher Willis
'Oedipe: a Visual History' - exhibition
4 May - Clore Studio Upstairs at the Royal Opera House - available to Insight: Oedipe tickets holders only
5 May - 8 June, the Romanian Cultural Institute - free event; no booking needed
Since 1936, when 'Oedipe' debuted at the Opéra Garnier in Paris, Enescu's masterpiece has been performed on renowned musical stages throughout the world. In the past 80 years, great singers like David Ohanesian, José Van Dam or Monte Pederson have shone in the notoriously challenging title role. Through a kaleidoscope of rarely seen photographs and reproductions, The George Enescu National Museum's exhibition 'Oedipe: a Visual History' traces the opera's sinuous fate from its long gestation and rapturous premiere to relative post-war neglect and eventual rediscovery. The exhibition is curated by Cristina Andrei, Director of the George Enescu National Museum in Bucharest.
The exhibition will only be at the Royal Opera House on 4 May and only available to ticket holders of the Insight.
3 March - 8 June, the Romanian Cultural Institute
'Interludes in Photographic Key' - exhibition
Free event - no booking needed
Captured in the backdrops of Romania's biggest musical event, George Enescu International Festival in Bucharest, the photographs in this revealing exhibition by Cornel Brad provide a depiction of the excitement, expectation and relief that make the life of the great musicians in those supercharged 'interludes' before and after tremendous stage accomplishments. The expressive snapshots form an extraordinary gallery of portraits that includes some of the biggest stars of classical music like Vladimir Jurowski, Ioan Hollender, Sir Antonio Pappano, Sorin Coliban, Anita Hartig, Fazil Say, Maxim Vengerov, Murray Perahia, Katia & Marielle Labeque, Evgheni Kissin, Elisabeth Kulman, Amanda Forsyth, Pinchas Zukerman and Angela Cheng.
23 May, 26 May, 30 May, 2 June, 4 June, 8 June, Royal Opera House
'Oedipe' at Covent Garden
book your tickets HERE
Featuring Danish star Johan Reuter in the title role and an excellent cast including John Tomlinson, Sarah Connolly and Sophie Bevan, The Royal Opera's first production of Enescu's operatic masterpiece, directed by Àlex Ollé and Valentina Carrasco of the acclaimed Catalan company La Fura dels Baus, and conducted by Leo Hussain, has its UK premiere on 23 May. The production is part of the Spring 2016 Season at the Royal Opera House and runs until 8 June.
More details at www.roh.org.uk
'Oedipe' in the George Enescu Festival 2017
The 2017 edition of the George Enescu International Festival in Bucharest will open with a concert version of 'Oedipe', performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Maestro Jurowski is currently the Artistic Director of the Enescu Festival. To fulfill its mission, all Festival's programmes include at least 20 works by the great composer.
For the full programme of the Festival, please click HERE.
