Opera is a complex, rich and paradoxical art form, combining and interweaving a host of dimensions: a double structure, musical and literary – a double level, pit and stage – a double direction, musical and scenic. Not to mention the imposing rhythmic and structural constraints, and the scenographic choices that have to take acoustics into account. It is this complexity that makes the art form so exciting as it is constantly evolving.
Just as singers, coming from a mainly musical background, are sometimes a little fragile when it comes to acting, so directors, who very often come from a theatrical background, can feel like novices when it comes to achieving musical structure and balance.
This project aims to bring together four directors and eight singers to experiment together, sharing problems, weaknesses and questions. Set free from the time and efficiency constraints of production, we will enjoy the rare luxury of research, of successive experiments and processes ranging from dramaturgical work to improvisation.
A number of the work sessions will be open to the public, giving us a concrete opportunity to explore the way we address audiences.
This will provide us with much of the basic material we need to experiment and develop a collective understanding of the issues and subjects we will be working on during the project.
Jean-Yves Ruf
