Press Releases Archive
08.06.2015
Opera premiere for Wallander
Collegium Musicum at the University of Tübingen to bring Henning Mankell’s Wallander to the stage with the opera premiere “W – The Truth Beyond” in July 2016
In summer 2016, the University of Tübingen will bring policeman Kurt Wallander from Henning Mankell’s Swedish crime novels to the opera stage for the first time. The opera “W – The Truth Beyond” will be composed by Fredrik Sixten from Sweden. The libretto is written by Swedish dramatist Klas Abrahamsson, the English Adaptation will be created by writer and translator Ann Henning Jocelyn. The project is spearheaded by University Music Director, Philipp Amelung.
"It was not difficult for me to say yes to this fascinating project”, says Composer Fredrik Sixten. “Opera Wallander has, through Klas Abrahamsson ingenious libretto, everything a composer can dream of. With many strong emotions, an exciting crime drama, a message for our time and thus many opportunities for my expressive music to present itself in its full width."
Under the creative direction of Philipp Amelung, Collegium Musicum, the University Music Society and students from Musikhochschule Stuttgart will perform the opera. Actor and television presenter Malte Arkona will direct the stage performance. Project cooperation partners and sponsors include the Institute of Musicology, the Departments of Media, German and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Tübingen, and the towns of Tübingen and Ystad, Wallander’s home town. The premiere will be performed on 15 July 2016 in Tübingen and accompanied by Württembergische Philharmonie from Reutlingen. The Swedish premiere will be held on 13 August 2016 in Ystad theatre accompanied by the orchestra La Banda modern.
“I became acquainted with Fredik Sixten’s compositions some time ago and I have always loved the Wallander novels – it seemed a natural idea to put the two together,” explains Amelung on his inspiration for the project. Henning Mankell met Amelung personally in 2013 and gave his support for the project. Mankell, who is also a lover of music advised Amelung: “You need to find your own way to use the story that is appropriate to your medium.”
“The project is an incredible creative challenge,” says Amelung. Wallander’s character has many facets and the aging policeman struggles with alcohol abuse and loneliness. The opera follows on from “The Troubled Man” where Wallander is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. At Wallander’s retirement celebration, the policeman is approached by Tobias Jonsson. Jonsson, who Wallander convicted for the murder of his own father 15 years ago, assures Wallander of his innocence. This awakens Wallander’s curiosity and he agrees to reopen the case.
“One insight I have gained during the work is how similar the crime novel and the world of opera is”, says librettist Klas Abrahamsson. “Both deal with the violent death, strong feelings and incredibly cruel scenes. From that point of view, it´s almost surprising that – as far as I know – there are no more operas based on contemporary crime novels written yet!”
The Wallander novels have been filmed by Swedish television and the BBC over the last two decades. Between 2005 and 2014, the crime series “Mankells Wallander” was filmed as a German-Swedish co-production. However, this is the first Wallander opera.
In the winter semester 2015/16, the University of Tübingen will offer an interdisciplinary seminar to accompany the opera which will examine the novels, films and music. A documentary is being filmed to record the progress of the production from the creative process to the performance.
About the artists
Composer Fredrik Sixten is one of the leading church musicians in Scandinavia. He was an organist at Härnösand Cathedral in Sweden and Nidarasdom in Trondheim, Norway. In 2010 he was awarded “Composer of the Year” by the Stockholm Music Association. Sixten, who is a free musician since mid-2014, has mainly composed oratorios, a requiem, a St. Mark passion and a Christmas oratorio.
Librettist: Klas Abrahamsson regularly writes scripts for film and television. He also wrote the screenplay for the Wallander novel “The Midsummer murder”. In Germany, he is known for his play “Das Wunder von Schweden. Eine musikalische Möbelsaga”. In March 2015, he was awarded the Swedish Ibsen prize.
Creative director: Philipp Amelung has been University Music Director at the University of Tübingen since 2011. Previously, he was the acting choral director of the Munich Bach Choir and the director of Schola Cantorum, Lepizig.
Stage director: Malte Arkona has performed in several Munich operas such as Engelbert Humperdincks “Hansel and Gretel” and was awarded the Echo Klassik in 2013 and 2014 as a narrator for orchestral audiobooks. Arkona, who is also a television presenter, has been studying at the Institute of Musicology at the University of Tübingen since 2010.
Watch a video about the project: <link http: polr.me>
Contact:
Philipp Amelung
University of Tübingen
Universitätsmusikdirektor
Schulberg 2 ∙ 72070 Tübingen
Phone: +49 7071 29-75300
<link mail ein fenster zum versenden der>philipp.amelung[at]uni-tuebingen.de