Two classics, two distinct narratives with differing outcomes, woven together through music and text, creating a rich auditory and visual experience. Explore the depths of stormy desire and uncompromising love – and the moments in between.
A tempestuous tragedy of jealousy unfolds as Tolstoy's novella "The Kreutzer Sonata" intertwines with Janáček's dramatic music of the same name. A man consumed by jealousy becomes convinced of his wife's infidelity, revealing a poignant psychological portrait of marriage, sexuality, and morality. Janáček, a fervent advocate for women's rights, masterfully portrays this drama with such intensity, capturing the intense energy that ultimately culminates in tragic outcome. As with a gripping thriller, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds through narration intertwined with enveloping music.
After the intermission, the evening reaches its climax with one of late Romanticism's most powerful works, Schönberg's Verklärte Nacht. Inspired by Richard Dehmel’s poem, this composition serves as Schönberg’s declaration of love, as he draws from his own profound infatuation with the woman who later would become his wife. Almost operatic in nature, the composition takes us on a journey through a moonlit night as a woman confesses her dark secret to her lover – that she is carrying another man's child. The music guides us through a poignant tale of guilt, forgiveness, and unconditional love.
Sunday 15 September 6:30pm
Scene 2, Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Program
Leoš Janáček / Leo Tolstoy
Kreutzer Sonata
Arnold Schoenberg
Verklärte Nacht
Performers
Terje Tønnesen artistic director
Teodor Janson narrator