Details

Telling the story of the inmates of a Siberian prison, the opera reflects their feelings of pain, oppression and injustice as each recount why they ended up in jail. Their gloom is eased as they painstakingly nurse an eagle back to health, which comes to symbolize both Russia and the notion of freedom. Sung in Czech with English surtitles.

Cast/Performers

Willard W White (Aexandr Petrovic Gorjancikov), Pascal Charbonneau (Aljeja), Stefan Margita (Luke Kuzmic), Ladislav Elgr (Skuratov), Johan Reuter (Siskov / Priest), Alexander Vassiliev (Prison Governor), Nicky Spence (Big Prisoner / Nikita), Grant Doyle (Small Prisoner / Cook / Cekunov), Graham Clark (Elderly Prisoner), Konu Kim (Voice), Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (Drunk Prisoner), Konu Kim (Voice), Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (Drunk Prisoner), Peter Hoare (Sapkin), John Graham-Hall (Prisoner / Kedril), Aes Jenis (Prisoner / Don Juan / Brahmin), Florian Hoffman (Young Prisoner), Rinat Shaham (Prostitute), Alexander Kravets (Cerevin)

Creatives/Company

Author: Leos Janacek
Book by: Dostoyevsky
Producer(s): Royal Opera House, La Monnaie Brussels, Opera de Lyon
Conductor: Teodor Currentzis
Director(s): Krzysztof Warlikowski, Claude Bardouil (movement director)
Design(s): Malgorzata Szczesniak, Denis Gueguin (video design)
Lighting: Felice Ross
Dramaturg: Christian Longchamp