Kasper Holten directs the opera Brothers
- at the Danish National Opera in Musikhuset Aarhus in 2017.
The Danish National Opera is to perform Susanne Bier’s film Brothers as an opera in August 2017. The new Danish opera will be directed by Kasper Holten, and Steffen Aarfing will create the stage design. The composer is the Danish-born Icelander Daníel Bjarnason and the librettist is Kerstin Perski (Reumert Prize winner for The Confessional).
“I’m really enthusiastic that the first job I am taking on as a freelance director after my time as Director of Opera at Covent Garden in the spring of 2017 will be with the Danish National Opera,” says Kasper Holten and continues:
“This was where I staged my first major operas, and I still remember it as one of my first ‘artistic homes’. I am greatly looking forward to coming back to the Danish National Opera and not least to this exciting project as part of European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017. I have always had a special fondness for participating in the development of brand new operas. The libretto for Brothers seems to me to be one of the best new opera librettos I have ever read. I sat on a plane with tears running down my cheeks and knew that I had to say yes. With the innovative and funky musical universe that Daníel Bjarnason stands for, I hope that together we can make Brothers into an intense, unique experience for the audience.”
Brothers is part of Musikhuset Aarhus’ Bier Trilogy, in which the acclaimed film trilogy by Susanne Bier is adapted into three different genres in connection with the Capital of Culture year in 2017: Brothers as an opera, After the Wedding as musical theatre and Open Hearts as modern dance. Brothers is a collaboration between Musikhuset Aarhus, Aarhus 2017 and the Danish National Opera.
“It’s fantastic that the Danish National Opera has found an international opera heavyweight to direct the first part of the Bier Trilogy. With Kasper Holten as director of Brothers, Peter Langdal as director of After the Wedding and Palle Granhøj as choreographer of Open Hearts, all the pieces for the Bier Trilogy are falling into place with a real dream team,” says Mette Kier, Head of Programming, Musikhuset Aarhus.
General Manager and Artistic Director at the Danish National Opera Annilese Miskimmon has been part of the process since the work was commissioned from the composer and librettist:
“I am extremely sorry to have to withdraw from the Brothers project when I leave the Danish National Opera on 1 January 2017, but I will follow the work with great interest as I take up my new post at The Norwegian Opera & Ballet. I am delighted to have succeeded in securing such a wonderfully strong team to create this landmark Danish opera for Danish National Opera in Aarhus 2017.”
CEO of European Capital of Culture 2017, Rebecca Matthews, adds:
“I am extremely excited about welcoming Kasper Holten as part of the Aarhus 2017 family. To have him join our team as stage director is a unique opportunity for us, and I am thoroughly convinced that his impressive international resumé will draw increased international attention to our year as Capital of Culture as well as the Bier Trilogy.”
Brothers:
The team: Composer Daníel Bjarnason, librettist Kerstin Perski. Director Kasper Holten. Stage designer Steffen Aarfing.
Cast: Danish and international singers, the Chorus of the Danish National Opera and Aarhus Symphony Orchestra perform the opera Brothers at Musikhuset Aarhus.
Performance dates, August 2017: Musikhuset Aarhus Wednesday 16 August 19:30, Friday 18 August 19:30, Sunday 20 August 15:00, Tuesday 22 August 19:30.
Ticket sales: Ticket sales for the opera Brothers open in April 2016.
