A global opera by Nélida Béjar and Björn Potulski for mixed choir, five singers and an ensemble of 15 players. World premiere: 30 May 2014, Cuvilliés-Theater, Munich, Germany. African premiere: 18 July, 2014, Soweto Theatre, Soweto (Johannesburg), South Africa.
The performers are what makes this work truly distinctive: they are singers and actors who each day connect continents and nations, flight crew members working for Lufthansa, South African Airways, All Nippon Airways and S7 Airlines. Rounding out the cast are a number of Munich Airport staff members. A basic idea of the opera is the blue sky being the new ocean on which today’s vessels «sail» to bridge continents and nations. But it is not just the performance that focuses on the topic of globalization, it is the production itself which is truly global: after each rehearsal the performers scatter all over the world to meet up again shortly after for another rehearsal.
Photo: Sebastian Widmann
Video Podcast 1 - Video Podcast 2
World premiere: May 30, Cuvilliés-Theater, Munich, Germany
Second performance at the same place on May 31
South Africa premiere: July 18, Soweto Theatre, Soweto, South Africa; coinciding with Nelson Mandela's birthday celebrations. Further performances at the same place on July 19 and 20.
In cooperation with the MIAGI association. A children's choir from Soweto will participate at the performances.
Production team:
Music composition: Nélida Béjar
Stage direction: Björn Potulski
Conductor: Anton Zapf
Costume design: Julia Ströder
Vocal training: Marie Brandis
Sound: Mathis Nitschke
Costume assistant: Silke Mederer
Project Coordinator for MIAGI: Christopher Bishop
Childrens' Choirmaster in Soweto: Bhekinkosi Hlatshwayo
Singers/actors:
Yoko Yamaguchi (Soprano Solo)
Monggie Thlapane (Alto Solo)
Jan Kollmar (Countertenor Solo)
Fabian Duschl, Franz Stadler (Tenor Solo)
Claus Schippan (Bass Solo, Munich), Franz Stadler (Bass Solo, Soweto)
Susanne Berthold
Svetlana Filippenko
Bernhard Gaibler
Günter Göggelmann
Muzikayise Hlatshwayo
Reiko Horikoshi
Frieda Makoba
Jean-Baptiste Malanda
Michael Meiringer
Kanako Murata
Tsendsuren Richter
Yuki Tazoe
Irene Venghaus
Musicians in Munich:
Menyhért Arnold (Trumpet)
Mircea Ladiu (Horn)
Oliver Spath (Tuba)
Alexandros Diamantis (Piano)
Jan Zehrfeld (E-Guitar)
Simon Klavžar (Percussion)
Vladimir Lakatos (Violin)
Karol Liman (Violin)
Maria Krebs (Violin)
Arseniy Kulakov (Violin)
Oscar Merchan Alba (Viola)
Bettina Bachofer (Viola)
Aki Kitajima (Cello)
Esther Saladin (Cello)
Chris Lachotta (Double Bass)
Musicians in Soweto:
Michael Magner (Trumpet)
Christopher Bishop (Horn)
Alexander Hitzeroth (Bass Trombone)
Kevin Kraak (Piano)
Jan Zehrfeld (E-Guitar)
Rudolf van Dyk (Percussion)
Elbé Roberts (Violin)
Olga Korvink (Violin)
Ginger Neff (Violin)
Kabelo Mothlomi (Violin)
Vladimir Ivanov (Viola)
Marjan Vonk (Viola)
Maciej Lacny (Cello)
Daliwonga Tshangela (Cello)
Nico Kruger (Double Bass)