The Madman's Garden

First Faroese Opera on Stage

 

The National Theatre of Iceland

22 and 23 May, 8pm

 

 

The opera Í Óðamansgarði (The Madman's Garden) will be performed at the National Theatre of Iceland in collaboration with The National Stage of The Faroe Islands.

 

Boy meets girl – in an unusual setting. Both on stage and outside. For the first time, we have the opportunity to experience Faroese opera in Iceland. Based on a short story by famous Faroese writer, William Heinesen, the Faroese composer, Sunleif Rasmussen, and librettist, Dánial Hoydal, have created an opera that tells the story of how a boy, Marselius, meets a girl, Stella Kristina, in a madman’;;s garden.

 

The mysterious madman is almost totally inactive, but the entire story evolves around him and the young couple's perception of him. Is he mad? What is his background? Does he have supernatural powers? Does he even exist? In their quest to answer these questions which become essential to the young couple, they define themselves and their relationship. We follow their development, fantasies and struggle to cope with the mystery of life, adolescence and love, staged in the gloomy shadow of the madman and his seductive garden.

 

Commissioned in 2001 by the classical ensemble Aldubáran and staged as a joint production between The Nordic House and The National Stage of The Faroe Islands, the opera is an enormous undertaking for a country which has a population of less than 50,000 people. It is, therefore, with pride that the islanders now invite audience and media around the world to witness this historic event.

 

The Madman's Garden is a chamber opera performed by an ensemble of 15 musicians, two actors, three singers and two dancers. The performers are from Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

 

 

Cast:

The ensemble Aldubáran with musicians from the Faroe Islands and Iceland

Composer :Sunleif Rasmussen

Librettist: Dánial Hoydal

Director:  Ria Tórgarð

Conductor: Bernharður Wilkinson

Choreographer: Lára Stefánsdóttir

Soprano: Þóra Einarsdóttir

Tenor:  Eyjólfur Eyjólfsson

Bass: Bjarni Thor Kristinsson

Actors: Gunnvá Zachariasen and Hans Tórgarð

 

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