The Belltower
2002
Opera in one act
Based on Herman Melville’s novel of the same name.
Krenek’ short opera emotional and dramatic moments are piled on top of one another in almost ironic intensification: love, madness, murder, betrayal of the father, mortal accident, triumph of technology, sex, magic, and false conclusion. In its production Novoflot traced the question symbolised by the image of the giant bell: its statesmanlike chiming, uniting society in time and the space of sound is the result of the secret and obscure alchemic technique of bell-foundry – providing, of course, the bell-founding is successful. Publicity is based on secrets – a longstanding contradiction, the more explosive the more modern and enlightened a society perceives itself to be.
Premiere:
13th September 2002
at the Sophiensæle, Berlin
In co-production with Sophiensæle
Realised through support by Hauptstadtkulturfonds and the Fonds Darstellende Künste e.V. aus Mitteln des Bundes.
Ensemble:
Rupert Bergmann Bannadonna
Julia Henning Una
Wojciech Parchem 1. Senator
Christian Dahm 2. Senator
Melih Tepretmez Giovanni
Soichi Kobayashi 1. Arbeiter
Ingo Witzke 2. Arbeiter
Choir:
Ulrike Barth, Nico Brazda, Thomas Heiß, Soichi
Kobayashi, Anne Krauß, Philipp Neumann, Elisabeth Rapp, Heike Scheel,
Friedemann Schmidt, Nathalie Uelk, Sigrid Wiedemann,
Ingo Witzke
Frank Markowitsch Choirmaster
Orchestra:
Masahiro Sekine Flute
Lavinia Whitaker Oboe
Dörte Sehrer Clarinet
Seung-Yeop Lee Trumpet
Olaf Schabik Posaune
Arno Waschk Piano
Sanja Fister Percussion
Bela Lee Percussion
Aiko Ogata Violin 1
Seo-Wan Choi Violin 2
Gaëlle Bayet Viola
Phoebe Scott Violoncello
Adrian Stasiak Double bass
Team:
Sven Holm Director
Vicente Larrañaga Musical director
Barbara Kaesbohrer & Mathias Rümmler Stage design
Sebastian Bark Dramaturg
Stefan Fragner Production management
Stefan Neumann Technical Director & lighting
Thorsten Cölle Assistant to the director Isabel Schmiga & Ursula Loge Assistant to the stage and costume designer Arno Waschk & Scott Curry Accompanist Sabrina Böwe Assistant to the production manager Laboratorium für Gestaltung Stage graphics Einsdreiundsiebzig Graphic design Holger Foullois Fotos Philip Kießling Documentation
