typographic visuals
The World's Wife
'Grootste ontdekking van de avond was de dramaturgie rondom de projecties - ik ervoer de teksten van Duffy bijna als van Shakespeare - effectief, krachtig, kleurrijk en ook boos. De teksten waren voor mij een zesde personage - een spook bijna - op toneel. Alsof Hamlet te gast was.'
— Neil Wallace / international performing arts professional
Chamber opera with bariton Lucia Lucas and Ragazze Quartet

The World’s Wife is based on an anthology of poems by Carol Ann Duffy and reflects on collective stories, historical events and myths, told from an altered, female perspective. Inspired by Duffy’s poems, composer Tom W. Green wrote a chamber opera for singer, string quartet and looping station.

Throughout the opera, different female characters take the stage, both historical and mythological, ranging from the sexually awakened little-red cap to the motherly Queen Herod. By way of response, Green’s composition contains music from past female composers who were sometimes unduly ignored, such as Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn.

Ragazze Quartet and Dutch opera director Jorinde Keesmaat are for the first time creating a fully staged version of the opera. Keesmaat (known from a.o. Andriessen’s Anais Nin + Odysseus Women) is intrigued by the absence of the female voice which paradoxically speaks through Duffy’s poems.

While stating their individuality, the women in the poetry are at the same time trapped in a male narrative. Seeking to weave their own narrative, five female performers explore their historical and mythological predecessors. They are guided by the warm baritone singing of transgender opera singer Lucia Lucas, who has recognised and has responded to her inner voice unlike anyone else. Together, they embark on a journey which leads to a (re)discovery of a collective and individual, female voice.

'Een ware tour de force. Gedurfd, verstild, pijnlijk (en toch een feest voor het oog), meesterlijk in ruimtelijke zin, het is een prachtige productie geworden.'

— Neil Wallace / international performing arts professional

Specificaties


2022

The World's Wife

Chamber Opera

Ragazze Quartet


Composer

Tom W Green


Librettist

Carol Ann Duffy


Stage director

Jorinde Keesmaat


Bariton

Lucia Lucas


Violin

Rosa Arnold

Jeanita Vriens-van Tongeren


Viola

Annemijn Bergkotte


Cello

Amber Docters van Leeuwen or Rebecca Wise


Stage design

Sammy Van den Heuvel


Costumes

Sasja Strengholt


Make-up & hair design

Radna Berendsen


Dramaturgy

Lalina Goddard


Visuals

Bureau Merkwaardig


Light

Tim van 't Hof

Rohan McDermott


Sound

Koen Keevel


Stagemanager

Wendy van Os


Production

Remy de Graaf

Ragazze Quartet


Co-prodcution

O. Festival for Opera. Music. Theatre.

Barbican

What You See Festival

Grand Theatre