Opera Lab Berlin’s own take on George Bernard Shaw’s „Pygmalion“, Words presents the story of Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle within a confused language that itself must be divided, expanded, and reinvented. Against a backdrop of concert pieces for chamber ensemble and voice, texts are renounced of all meaning as parts of speech are broken down through verbal acrobatics into their musical components.
Instrumentation: Two sopranos, mezzo-soprano, baritone, actor,
five-voice male choir, orchestra
Musical direction: Manuel Nawri
Director: Michael Höppner
Stage-design: Yassu Yabara
Costume-design: Kerstin Grießhaber
Director of Choir: Stelios Chatziktoris
Makeup: Martin Rink
Duration: ca. 1h30
Photography: Martin Koos ©
Bettina Gfeller: Sopran / Soprano, Eliza Doolittle
Rainer Killius: Bariton / Baritone / Baryton, Henry Higgins
Yuka Yanagihara: Sopran / Soprano, Oberst Pickering
Natalia Pschenitschnikova: Mezzosopran / Mezzo-soprano, Mrs. Pearce
Philipp Mayer: Schauspieler, Galerist / Acteur, Galeriste
Georg Bochow, Stelios Chatziktoris, Philipp Mayer,
Harald Bakkeby Moe, Emil Roijer: Chorsänger / Choir / Choristes
Shin Joo Morgantini: Flöte / Flute / Flûte
Martin Danek: Oboe / Hautbois
Florentine Simpfendörfer: Klarinette / Clarinet / Clarinette
Martin Möhler: Klarinette / Clarinet / Clarinette— Bassklarinette / Bass Clarinet / Clarinette Basse
Florian Bensch: Fagott / Bassoon / Basson
Evdoxia Filippou: Schlagzeug / Percussion
Alexandros Giovanos: Schlagzeug / Percussion
Maria Bogdanova: Mandolin / Mandoline
Franka Herwig: Akkordeon / Accordion / Accordéon
Annamaria Steinkogler: Harfe / Harp / Harpe
Alba Gentili-Tedeschi: Klavier / Piano
Sarah Saviet: Violine / Violin / Violon
HannaH Walter: Violine / Violin / Violon
Monika Grimm: Viola / Alto
Martin Smith: Violoncello / Violoncelle
Dina Bolshakova: Violoncello / Violoncelle
Beltane Ruiz: Kontrabass / Contrebasse
John Cage
Litany for the whale:
Text by Composer
Pierluigi Billone
Quattro Alberi:
Text by Emily Dickinson, Four Trees
Naomi Pinnock
Words:
Text by Composer
Unsuk Chin
Akrostichon-Wortspiel:
Text by L.Caroll,
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There
and M. Ende, The Neverending Story
Iannis Xenakis
Zyia:
Text by Composer
Edgar Varèse
Un grand sommeil noir:
Text by P. Verlaine