Details

Kaija Saariaho's oratorio for soprano, choir, electronics and orchestra, with a text by Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf, penetrates the life and spiritual world of French-Jewish feminist philosopher, mathematician and mystic Simone Weil who, in 1943, made the ultimate sacrifice, dying of starvation after refusing to eat more food that her fellow countrymen in the Nazi death camps. This work was composed for Dawn Upshaw who performs it here for the first time. UK Premiere. Fully-staged performance. 90 mins no interval. Commissioned by New Crowned Hope (Vienna), Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Los Angeles Philharmonic,

Cast/Performers

Dawn Upshaw (soprano), Michael Schumacher (dancer)

Creatives/Company

Author: Kaija Saariaho
Other: Amin Maalouf (text)
Director: Peter Sellars
Conductor: Robert Spano
Company(s): City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, London Voices
Costume: Martin Pakledinaz
Lighting: James F. Ingalls