One
chamber opera [2002]
Poster, Barbara HanniganFive elderly women relate their elemental and existential stories; in each of them the main protagonist of the opera plays an important role. Gradually the nature of the relationship between her and the older women becomes apparent, while a moving portrait rises of a woman who has completely lost her own identity.
The chamber opera One represents a new kind of music multimedia drama. Michel van der Aa’s poetic production of intense technological virtuosity fuses the libretto, video, live music and soundtrack with the phenomenal soprano voice and presence of Barbara Hannigan into ‘One’. Projected images and electronic sounds add emphasis to the onstage performance of the protagonist, while the recorded and live voice interact with incredible synchronicity.
One, composed in 2002, was premiered on 12 January 2003 by Barbara Hannigan in the Amsterdam Frascati Theatre. As a result of its successful first tour in the Netherlands, the production has been in great demand abroad and has been performed to wide critical and audience acclaim in 11 countries, at festivals including the Berliner Festspiele, Paris Festival de L’automne, Oslo Ultima Festival, Warsaw Autumn, and the Venice Biennale.
In 2004 Michel van der Aa received the Netherlands’ prestigious Matthijs Vermeulen Prize for his chamber opera One.
Press:
“Michel van der Aa fascinates in One...high quality of the notes in a highly concentrated, sublime sharpness and taut beauty, both mechanical and human.“
— NRC Handelsblad
“One is masterly...a wonderfully poetic piece. As enchanting as a dream”
— Het Parool
“Intense opera by Michel van der Aa...a wonderful production without fuss or pretense, presenting a really new type of purely musical multimedia drama.”
— De Telegraaf
“Hannigan delivered a phenomenal achievement.”
— De Volkskrant
“The libretto, the video, the music by Van der Aa and Hannigan’s beautiful voice were really ‘One’.
— Trouw
“…One of the most successful moments of the entire Zagreb Biennial.”
— New sound Magazine
“Mastery of deviation. The piece spreads its aura over generations, reflecting its secrets with the clarity of a mirror.”
— Der Tagespiegel
“...philosophical reflection between Rimbaldism and Buddhism.”
— Le Monde
For further information concerning the performance, finances and technical list
please contact the producer, Frank van der Weij .
One is a production of the Dutch Gaudeamus Foundation.
