PICTURE A DAY LIKE THIS

GEORGE BENJAMIN (1960) — MARTIN CRIMP (1956)
5 8 11 12 14 15 17 22 23 July

OPERA IN ONE ACT
TEXT BY MARTIN CRIMP

 

Conductor
Sir George Benjamin
Stage direction, set design, dramaturgy and lighting design
Daniel Jeanneteau, Marie-Christine Soma
Costume design
Marie La Rocca
Video
Hicham Berrada
Woman
Marianne Crebassa
Zabelle
Anna Prohaska*
Lover 1 / Composer
Beate Mordal
Lover 2 / Composer’s Assistant
Cameron Shahbazi
Artisan / Collector
John Brancy
Orchestra
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
*Former artist of the Académie

WORLD PREMIERE

CO-COMMISSION AND CO-PRODUCTION FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE, ROYAL OPERA HOUSE - COVENT GARDEN, OPÉRA NATIONAL DU RHIN, OPÉRA COMIQUE, LES THÉÂTRES DE LA VILLE DE LUXEMBOURG, OPER KÖLN, TEATRO DI SAN CARLO

— WITH THE SUPPORT OF MADAME ALINE FORIEL-DESTEZET, GRANDE MÉCÈNE D'EXCEPTION DES 75 ANS DU FESTIVAL D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE

WITH THE SUPPORT OF CERCLE DES MÉCÈNES ASSOCIÉS, KAROLINA BLABERG STIFTUNG, AMMODO, JEAN-FRANÇOIS DUBOS, CERCLE INCISES FOR CONTEMPORARY CREATION

Find one happy person in this world
and cut one button from their sleeve.
Do it before night and your child will live.

Martin Crimp, Picture a day like this

An ordinary day. A terrible event. The death of her infant child sets in motion one woman’s search for a life-restoring miracle. All she needs to do – in the course of a single day – is find one genuinely happy human being. But when every encounter, however promising, ends in disappointment, she turns finally to the mysterious Zabelle, owner and creator of a magnificent garden. Eleven years after the historic success of Written on Skin, George Benjamin returns to the Festival with a new opera in one act: a universal tale with moving colours, where the flow of music follows the flow of life; an initiatory fable on human nature and self-discovery. For the fourth time, he reunites with Martin Crimp, his faithful author; Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma are the stage directors, and with video design by Hicham Berrada. The composer himself conducts five magnificent young singers – including Marianne Crebassa – and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, which celebrates its 25th anniversary on this occasion.

George Benjamin awarded the 2023 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which is bestowed each year upon a composer or performer for his or her major contribution to the world of contemporary music.

Wednesday
05
July
2023
20h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Saturday
08
July
2023
17h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Tuesday
11
July
2023
20h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Wednesday
12
July
2023
20h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Friday
14
July
2023
17h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Saturday
15
July
2023
17h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Monday
17
July
2023
20h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Saturday
22
July
2023
17h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Sunday
23
July
2023
17h00
Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
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Ticket prices: €155, €93, €59, €31
Youth prices: €46, €27, €17, €9
Performance available with ticket packages

1 hour and 15 minutes without interval

Sung in English with French and English surtitles

Publisher: Faber Music, Londres

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