MEDIATHEK

The opera creators group – Jens, Åsa and Rūta met at the 2010 New Music Incubator project in Latvia, and they were united by one goal – to create a spatial opera in the dark, especially expanding the possibilities of the acoustic surroundings. The work was inspired by their interest in spatial electronics, in particular by spatial acoustic sound and its impact on imagination. The Christian idea of the seven deadly sins lies at the basis of the libretto.

The seven parts of the “Confessions” are concerned with the seven cardinal sins – lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride. The intuitive relationship that appeared between the creators from the beginning of the collaboration is transferred to the opera at a musical level. The “Confessions” unites the authors’ long-cherished ideas of creative experiments: performing music in the dark, involving other senses (smell, touch) and allegedly completely removing the visual aspect. However in the opera, the latter is really the most activated factor in the listener’s imagination – through abstract audio images and concrete pre-recorded sounds that produce strong images linked to feelings, sensations or objects.


// Instructions for spectators //

The spectators will sit blindfolded in the dark (blindfolds will be handed out before the performance). There are three types of seats in the hall. The “passive” ones are for those who are sensitive to physical contact and wish to avoid it. The sensations of those who will choose “active” seats will have them actively provoked. The only special “Pink chair” is free of charge, and the person who will win a competition will get it. The occupant of the seat will experience a set of extreme acoustic surroundings, smells, tastes and touches. Those who wish to get this seat need to make a sincere confession of one sin on confessions@noa.lt. The person will be contacted and he/she will have to sign a contract. Other spectators, buying tickets will have the chance to choose the zone (“passive” or “active”) where they would like to sit. One opera's performance is designed for 22 or 43 spectators.


Creators – Spatial Opera Company: Jens Hedman (composer, Sweden), Rūta Vitkauskaitė (composer, Lithuania), Åsa Nordgren (soprano, Sweden)
Sound director Vytautas Bastys
Lighting designer Karolis Juknys
Producers: Spatial Opera Company, OPEROMANIJ