Tristan Hambleton, Luke Sinclair
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Katie Coventry, William Ferguson
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Katie Coventry
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Luke Sinclair
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Ensemble
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

George Humphreys, Meredith Hoffmann-Thomson
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Katie Coventry, Luke Sinclair
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Ensemble
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Meredith Hoffmann-Thomson, George Humphreys, Anita Giovanna Rosati
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Ensemble
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

William Ferguson, Tristan Hambleton, Anita Giovanna Rosati, Samuel Pantcheff
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Ensemble
© SLT / Christian Krautzberger

Anthropozän

Stuart MacRae

In English language with German and English subtitles.

Libretto von Louise Welsh

Österreichische Erstaufführung: 26. Mai 2024 / Landestheater

Synopsis

An intriguing music theatre thriller that explores burning current topics of society: Stuart MacRae’s opera, which premiered in Scotland in 2019, sees its Austrian premiere at the Salzburg State Theatre.

On an expedition to the Polar Circle, the research ship “Anthropocene” is trapped in pack ice. Faced with isolation and the danger of death, tensions surface and the relationships within the research team are put to the test. But everything changes when the scientists discover a frozen creature in the icy wilderness …

The “Anthropocene” is the geological era marked by humanity as the dominating influence on the entire world. In our quest for new knowledge, technologies, inventions and utopias we are travelling to the ends of the earth. But what is awaiting us there? The libretto by Louise Welsh is further intensified by the dense, powerful musical language of Scottish composer Stuart MacRae, in which dissonances and melody compete. After its world premiere at the Scottish Opera, press reviews enthusiastically praised its “gripping dramatic suspense and superb dramaturgic plot.” Stuart MacRae (*1976) is often cited among the most interesting contemporary composers. He has composed music for the London Sinfonietta and the BBC Proms and was Composer-in-Association at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. “Anthropocene” is his fourth collaboration with librettist Louise Welsh, who has made a name for herself as a writer of mystery thrillers.

Musical director Leslie Suganandarajah conducts the Austrian premiere of the opera “Anthropocene”, staged by Agnessa Nefjodov.

Duration: 2h 15min / including one brake

Reviews

„Der Landestheater-Musikdirektor führt das glänzend disponierte Mozarteumorchester nicht nur souverän durch die komplexe Partitur, er entlockt der Musik leuchtende Farben und enorme Plastizität. Sorgsam ausgeformt entwickelt das schroffe Klangbild eine erstaunliche Eingängigkeit, manche Passagen entfalten geradezu sinnliche Wirkung.“

Salzburger Nachrichten

„Die Musik trägt Empfindung und Eindruck. Herztöne sind zu hören wie Schiffsmotoren, abgründige Tiefen kontrastieren mit hellen Klangtupfern. [...] Die herrlichen Stimmen tragen und kämpfen sich durch die Kraft des Orchesters. Vom makellosen Sopran Rosatis zu schwärmen soll nicht heißen, die berauschende Leistung der anderen zu schmälern.“

Drehpunkt Kultur