Dutch National Opera

The Four Note Opera - tour

Tom Johnson (1939)
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Dates

12, 15 and 28 November 2024

Location

tournee, Heerlen, Zwolle en Groningen

Running time

1:10, no interval

Tickets

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The Four Note Opera titelpagina
Photo: Marta Syrko

Dark satire about singers who have nothing to say

I always feel very uncomfortable in the Final Scene.
But what can we do?
That is the way the opera is written.
We have no control over such things.

Inspired by Luigi Pirandello’s meta-theatre, composer Tom Johnson wrote a piece for a group of singers who have only four notes at their disposal (A, B, D and E) and couldn’t sing about anything other than the opera they are now performing in. Of course, such is an impossible situation: the opera ends in utter rigidity.

Presentation by Dutch National Opera Studio

Fifty years ago, the Four Note Opera was a mocking reflection on opera norms. What about now? Is the play itself out of date, or is the criticism still relevant? How much influence do today’s singers have over the roles they play? And how much influence do opera directors have over their own creative process?

Director Kenza Koutchoukali went into the rehearsal room for several weeks with five singers from the Dutch National Opera Studio. Based on the ultimate meaningless opera, they have investigated the expressiveness of opera as an art form.

OFF 2023-2024
This production was part of the Opera Forward Festival 2023 - 2024 and was staged in Dutch National Opera & Ballet (Studio Boekman) in March 2024. In November 2024, The Four Note Opera will be performed in three theatres in our country.

 

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Performance information

Libretto  Tom Johnson

Stage direction  Kenza Koutchoukali
Scenography and costume design Yannick Verweij
Lighting design  Coen van der Hoeven
Dramaturgy  Laura Roling, Wout van Tongeren
Musical direction  Alejandro Cantalapiedra

Singers  members of Dutch National Opera Studio:
Soprano  Sophia Hunt
Alto  Martina Myskohlid
Tenor  Steven van der Linden
Baritone  Georgiy Derbas-Richter
Bass  Jasurbek Khaydarov
Pianist  Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero

Coproduction with the Nederlandse Reisopera and Opera Zuid

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The Four Note Opera - Quartet

Artists

Cast

Partners Dutch National Opera Studio

Ammodo Van den Ende Foundation Staetshuys Fonds
Pieter Houbolt Fonds

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