KURT SCHWERTSIK / KRISTINE TORNQUIST: ALICE. EINE PHANTASTISCHE REVUE

Program

• Kurt Schwertsik: Alice. Eine phantastische Revue (2022–2023 UA) - 90'
  Text: Kristine Tornquist
  Premiere

Cast

• Kristine Tornquist: Regie
• Ana Grigalashvili: Alice
• Romana Amerling: Sopran
• Solmaaz Adeli: Mezzosopran
• Armin Gramer: Countertenor
• Gernot Heinrich: Tenor
• Andreas Jankowitsch: Bariton
• Steven Scheschareg: Bassbariton
• Serapions Ensemble
• Das Rote Orchester: Orchester Musikalische Leitung: François‐Pierre Descamps
• Max Kaufmann: Regie
• Mirjam Mercedes Salzer: Ausstattung
• Vedran Mandic: Licht
• Klara Leschanz: Maske
• Bernhard Eder: Notensatz
• Martina Stapf: PR, Presse
• Maria Koller: PR, Presse
• Barbara Frank‐Vanura: PR, Presse
• Peter Landsmann: Dokumentation, Filmmitschnitt
• Paul Landsmann: Dokumentation, Filmmitschnitt
• Pamela Abdalla: Produktionsleitung Serapions Theater
• Urdyl Bauer: Produktionsleitung Serapions Theater
• Selina Nowak: Produktionsleitung sirene Operntheater
• Jury Everhartz: Konzept, Produktion sirene Operntheater
• Diana Arcos Vilanova: Regieassistenz
• François-Pierre Descamps: Dirigent

Alice. Eine phantastische Revue (Alice. A fantastic revue) presents characteristic scenes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There for an ensemble of twenty-four instrumentalists, seven soloists and the fabulous company of the Serapions Theater, who are now joining forces with the sirene Operntheater to stage this grand première by Kurt Schwertsik (music) and Kristine Tornquist (libretto).

The battle in Wonderland revolves around propriety, and the weapons are words. The famous Blue Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts, the timeless Hatter, the talkative flowers and other astonishing figures all lay claim to the prerogative of interpretation in a dialogue with Alice. While their logic does not coincide with common sense, and they are clearly mistaken, they do have the authority and the power to subject Alice to the most whimsical rules on behaviour – rules that mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson alias Lewis Carroll was forced to endure all his life in Victorian England. But above and beyond this aspect of social criticism, his two Alice books are the work of a gifted player juggling with logic and illogic so as to distil the deepest absurdity and the highest pleasure.

“Having Lewis Carroll as the author of the lyrics was one of the reasons for me to delve into this world: I was already interested in the poems from the Alice tales at a time when I still understood little English.” (Kurt Schwertsik)

Produktion sirene Operntheater und Serapions Theater
Kooperation Wien Modern