The Diary of One Who Disappeared
Royal Opera House · 05 JUN - 08 JUN
Award-winning director Ivo van Hove directs a brilliant cast in a touching staging of Janácek’s dramatic song cycle.
Overview
Ivo van Hove directs this staging of Janácek’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared. The song cycle tells the story of a boy who has fallen in love with a gypsy girl, Zefka, and decides to leave his family and village to be with her. Janácek’s inspiration came from his friend and late love Kamila Stösslová, who was also the inspiration for Katya in Kát’a Kabanová and Emilia Marty in The Makropulos Affair.
There are 22 songs for tenor and piano, with three songs for a small choir of women, with a mezzo soprano representing Zefka. Tony-Award winning director Ivo van Hove directs a brilliant cast including Ed Lyon and Marie Hamard, with actors Hugo Koolschijn and Gijs Scholten van Aschat. This staging brings a new element to Janácek’s original song cycle, its love story now extended through a touching coda, with music by Belgian composer Annelies Van Parys.
Critic reviews
Janacek’s passionate song-cycle is made to feel glacial in Ivo van Hove's overworked revamp
Ivo van Hove’s staging of Janacek’s song cycle is a heavy-handed misfire that seems to sap the energy of everyone involved
The 1919 song cycle of illicit love is brought into the modern day with a beautifully sung and acted performance
Belgian director Ivo van Hove develops Leoš Janáček's drama
Creatives
Date & time
Venue
Presented by
