Life is not the world of Disney. In Brussels, Gistav Flober’s Opera Bovari / Day inspired by the novel

What is Gistava’s flober novel Ms. Bovarie Resonance today? Is Emma Bovarie feminist? These and other questions are answered by the Negro Premiere Arold Noben Opera Barnie. Work composed after the royal opera of Brussels LA MONNAIE/De munt order. The premiere was created in cooperation with several institutions – the Royal Flemish Theater (CVS) in Brussels, the Wallonian National Theater in Brussels and the National Theater of Catalonia in Barcelona. All tickets to six shows from 12 to 19 April at the Wallonian National Theater were sold. Next year Opera Barnie will travel to Barcelona.

Drama ripple

The new opera has been staged by two theater -respected personalities – directors Dīgael de Tree (he is a libretto author) and Karme Portachel. Libretto is based on their flober novel Ms. Bovarie Adaptation for the Theater Stage – Modern, Minimalist Drama Show Barnie The Royal Flemish Theater was staged in Brussels in 2021. The film has been captured by the famous filmmaker Jaco van Dormel (the movie Hero toto/Toto Le HérosTo, in the way, Eighth/Le Huitieme JourTo, in the way, Mister no one/Mr. Nobody and A brand new bet/Le Tout Nouveau testament by the author), and in this form, the work reached a wide range of spectators during the pandemic. This has been the road to the Opera Stage. It should be noted that Michael de Tree is an artistic director of the CVS and also manifests itself as a playwright and actor, while Karme Portasel led the National Theater of Catalan, she is an experienced director and acting lecturer.

Opera Barnie The Musical Management of the Premiere is entrusted to Brazilian conductor Debor Valdmane, who is currently the musical leader of the Avinon and Provence National Orchestra. In a conversation with KDI’s opera premiere, the conductor said she was planning to record compositions by Lucy Garuta soon.

Opera Barnie Librettist and director Michael de Tree (from left), conductor Deborah Valdmane and composer Arold Noben after the opera’s world premiere in Brussels on April 12 this year. Photo – Jegor Jerohomovich

In the opera Barnie Three soloists and choir participate. The title role is passionately and colorful to Belgian and Albanian soprano Ana Nače. The protagonist Charles Charles Bovari vocal and acting brightly played by Russian bass Baritone Oleg Volkov. The daughter of the couple, Bert, who has a particularly responsible task of combining the story of the 19th century with modern activism, boldly reproduces the Belgian mezzo -soprano Blandina Pulon.

Arold Noben (1978) is a Belgian composer and pianist. Barnie is his third collaboration project with the Brussels opera house LA MONNAIE. Has previously been made by the chamber opera À l’extrême bord du monde (2020) telling about Stephen and Lot Cveig for the last days of life, and the concert Beyond (2022) that is dedicated LA MONNAIE For the 250th anniversary of the Symphony Orchestra. « Arold Noben’s music has freedom, freshness and beauty, so I would really like to sing it, » Oleg Volkov, the role of Charles Bowle, describes the composer’s work.

Barnie The production is contemporary, laconic and poetic. The world of Arold Noban allows you to shine on Emma’s Bovarie Drama, which is just as sharp and revolutionary as in the 19th century. In the title master monologues, the heart of the flober novel is increasingly accelerated – there are women’s wedlines, oppressed desires, self -expression, short -lived moments of happiness, suffering, loneliness and inevitable tragedy in the finals.

Fantasy ruins itself

Arold Noben subtly lures the listener in the private space of Mr Bovari. It has a great merit of conductor Debor Valdmane – she interprets the score with passion and elegance, balancing clarity and ecstaticity in sound.

In music, the composer respects the original of the flober. « The novel emphasizes the importance of Emma Bovarie’s Gaetano Doniceti Opera Lucy di Lammermur. Emma sees herself in Lucia, and Lucy’s love for Edgardo is an example of perfect love. But it’s just fantasy and perfect, « the composer reveals in a conversation with KDI. » The book refers to Lucy’s first act aria Regnava Nel SilenzioSo I wanted to include this musical motif in my work. Lucy’s aria quote in my opera is heard in the singing of the men’s choir. Later, I transformed this motif so that the fantasy destroys itself. This motif symbolizes illusions, and at the end of the opera, when Emma Bovarie dies, there is a modification of motives because the heroine experiences the death of illusions, « continues Barnie Author.

« Opera Barnie There is a story about illusions and their loss. Emma has had a lot of dreams, and her whole life is confrontation with reality, « says composer Arold Noben. The title role is portrayed by soprano Anna Nače. Photo – Peter Klass

Arold Noben’s music in the opera is beautiful and even luxurious, but he says, « I don’t write music to be beautiful. I write music where I can approach my essence. This music needs to move my own and I have to look at it. Sometimes when I try to write something too intellectual. Barnie Personally, the score is very close to me, this is my sound – I allow me to be what I am, not to serve some big idea or concept. « 

When asked what the image of Mrs Bovarie is associated with her, the composer answers: « I am thrilled by the character and her paradox. She is a loving woman, she longs. She faces the same problems as we all, and most of them – how to fill her existential emptiness. Emma was unhappy with her marriage, but she was not too young to understand. Barnie There is a story about illusions and their loss. Emma has had a lot of dreams, and her whole life is confrontation with reality – we realize that it is not the world of Disney. The heroine has to live with her wishes and longings that are not destined to come true. They are not cravings only for love, but after a full life. « 

Arold Noben’s favorite opera is Benjamin Briten Peter GraimsRichard Strauss Rose cavalierGeorge Benjamin Written on the skin and gulls sariaho Innocence. « But I also like such popular works like Jacomo Puccini Tuscany and joseph of Verdi Traviata« he adds.

Manifesto

« Who is this woman – Emma Bovarie? » After the premiere of the premiere in Brussels on April 12 Barnie Libretto author and director Michael de tree. « At the end of the libretto, Emma Bovarie is any woman, every woman and all women. Of course, this is also a specific character – a simple woman living in the 19th century. The question we are trying to ask in this new work is what she would have now. has read. Tinder And other tools … We think we can tell the younger generation about relationships and behavior in the relationship. If we are watching the behavior of young people, we conclude that today young men are often threatened by women. They believe that violence against women is acceptable. This shows that the fight for women’s rights and security must continue. We must defend this right. Today is still interesting and important to ask – what it means to be an independent woman in society, « says Michael de Tree.

Is Emma Bovarie feminist? « I assume she did not understand this concept in her time – in the 19th century. Emma fought for her freedom and was radical in her views – she was ready to die than being frustrated. Emma Bovari is trying to fill in a cocaine or other consumer. Shopping and fucking! It recalls me the erotic psychological drama of director Steve Macquin Shameful/Shame (2001), as well as playwright Sarah Keine and singer Amy Wainhaus’s art and tragic life. These are people who have encountered the need to constantly fill the void in their soul, « replies the director and the librettist.

« As long as we are unable to control our desires, Ms. Bovarie will be up to date. The heroine fights for her space, later written by Virginia Wulf. Now we are talking about polyamoria or ethical polygamy and much more. Already in the 19th century, Emma Bovarie fought for this freedom, for her space. All this is still up to date. Opera Barnie It is modern because we have to try to reach out to today’s people. This is not a novel Ms. Bovarie Adaptation. Of the 120,000 flober words, we had to leave only three thousand in the libretto. It is an edited version and a new interpretation. It is very difficult to shorten the novel, so strict decisions had to be made. The starting point for our story is emptiness and boredom that is in the life of heroine. I’m not against a traditional view of classic material, but this time we had the feeling that we had to do something more. We tried to imagine how Mrs Bovarie Transformed Sarah Keine, « the creative process is described by Michael de Tree.

Emma Bovarie’s daughter Berta’s show has a particularly responsible task to combine the story of the 19th century with modern activism. Bert is portrayed by a mezzo -soprano Blandina pendant. Photo – Peter Klass

In the opera Emma Bovarie also accusations of Flober herself, then her daughter Berta does. The final of the show turns into a manifesto of feminism and activism. Michael de Tree draws attention to the fact that the flober book is a man’s projection: « Author man writes a novel dreaming of a woman who wants to sleep with all the men. Why has Emma Bovarie become so iconic and popular? Because she finally dies. Arsenic, and she is not able to escape the frame at the end of the novel. at all times. «