Façons tragiques de tuer une femme / Tragic Ways of Killing a Woman
A chamber opera in one act
Based on an original idea of Richard Dubelski and Diana Soh
Diana Soh composer
Sabryna Pierre librettist
Séverine Chavrier stage director
In Soh's new one-act chamber opera, the disparity of treatment between men and women is articulated through the life and loves of the women on stage. Taking inspiration from the Greek tragedies, this modern-day representation showcases the full and timeless spectrum of micro-aggressions and violence against women.
Inspired by the book Façon tragique de tuer une femme by Nicole Loraux, this project examines systemic violence against women using the greek tragedies as a springboard. The entire opera set itself will be the musical construct that demonstrates these timeless domestic problems.This project creates an ambitious opportunity for the writing of the music staging and text to be done in parallel such that all 3 aspects are so highly intertwined, the result will be a true collaborative work that melts from one domain to another.
Diana Soh’s highly-detailed score will precisely define the physical movements for the performers, creating an unusual, “noisy” rhythmic backdrop to the singing, turning mundane tasks like stirring one’s tea, chopping vegetables and turning a page into music.
Here below is a film realised by Joanna Coates on their work in progress
Distribution
Composition: Diana Soh
Libretto : Sabryna Pierre
Stage Director : Séverine Chavrier
Ensemble
3 female singers (2x soprano, 1x mezzo-soprano)Laura Bowler, Elise Chauvin, Julie Mathevet
2 actors / percussionists (with spoken parts)Richard Dubelski, tba
vocal ensemble (4 - 6 parts)
and amplified mis-en-scene (*domestic objects like cups, pots and pans, blenders, knifes are used not only as props but actual music-makers) The Diffusion system is a 48 speakers Wave Field Synthesis set up.
Language
The opera will be translatable to whatever language in whatever country it plays in – primarily there will be an English and a French version. Ideally to be played without any subtitles because the body language and physical movements of the singers/actors often tell a different story from what is sung and functions as a subtext. Hence the text needs to be understood by the public to create a counter point between words and body.
Themes
The project will explore systemic violence and domestic issues with a focus on power structures in relationships. We will concentrate on the exploration the notion of dominance in a heterosexual relationship and the idea of female empowerment. We want to emphasise the non-literal types of deaths that kills one on the inside and the inescapability of the mundane, everyday lives of our main characters. also give a portrayal of what a modern day wonder-woman might look like.
Objects as instruments
The objects on stage and the entire opera set itself are an intrinsic part of the musical construction. The sounds that result from the movement of the actors and singers on stage are part of the musical set up and they are part of the story telling device. The object-sounds are literally the orchestral accompaniment to the singers, the movements and thus sounds never stops in all 3 apartments even when the spotlight in on one particular apartment. The totality of the body and gesture is very important to this project as the scenography itself constitutes the actual orchestra for this opera.
Pre-recorded and Live Video
The video element is very important for Chavrier's staging of the opera and provides multiple perspective and its subsequent shifts during the opera. It functions as a commentary on the action on stage and opens up a multi-perspective viewing in real time of the drama that is unfolding.
Storyline & Structure
The opera will be structured in a way where the public only gets partial information and throughout the course of the opera, more and more will be revealed. Their perspectives and opinions of the characters will change and at some point, the public will realise that we are actually seeing the same female character at different points of her life. And what we thought were neighbourly interactions and commentary were but false dialogue across space and time.