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A cricket with a depression and an elephant with an obsession, along with sixteen other characterful animals present themselves in Pierre Audi’s new staging of Richard Ayers successful modern opera The Cricket Recovers. The libretto by Rozalie Hirs is based on Dutch writer Toon Tellegen’s award winning novel The recovery of the cricket. Through eighteen short scenes we follow the story of the cricket who suddenly feels a sadness that does not want to go away; and the elephant who has an uncontrollable urge to climb trees, but keeps falling out of them. In Ayres’ effervescent cocktail of baroque gesture, late romantic rhetoric and dada-esque variety, the fantastic reality of these animals resonates as a moving, intelligent expression of the human condition.

  • © Hans van den Bogaard

  • © Hans van den Bogaard

  • © Hans van den Bogaard

credits

music Richard Ayres based on Toon Tellegen libretto Rozalie Hirs English translation John Irons musical direction Etienne Siebens direction Pierre Audi light design Jean Kalman scenography Jean Kalman in participation with Elsa Ejchenrand direction assistant Miranda Lakerveld rehearsal director Irina Sisoyeva, Henry Kelder performance VocaalLAB Nederland, Asko|Schönberg soprano Donatienne Michel-Dansac, Bauwien van der Meer mezzo soprano Francine Vis, Els Mondelaers tenor Steven van Gils bariton Arnout Lems bass Hugo Oliveira bass-bariton Hugo Oliveira production Holland Festival