OPHELIAS: DEATHBY WATER SINGING OPHELIA Mot Kjernen Av Vår Eksistens, Blir Ophelia Sar Kring Ophelia Som Midtpunkt

HENRIK HELLSTENIUS

OPHELIAS: DEATHBY WATER SINGING OPHELIA mot kjernen av vår eksistens, blir Ophelia sar kring Ophelia som midtpunkt. Nymfene men altså også tørre orda «drip, drip blood» I OPPLØYSING sitt spørsmål «Am I a Mouse?» meir ureint rører seg over enkeltimpulsar, der abrupte får ein dirrande og uttalt livredd kjensle når og subtilt. Spørsmålet vert barnleg når det enkeltstavingar frå kvar av dei er det som Hamlet løftar dei i falsett. Eit anna døme Librettist Cecilie Løveid har til dette verket musikalske peikar mot eit ekko av ein bar- dannar ord og setningar. Ensemblet pulse- finst i den enkle og konstaterande linja: «A teke den danske myten om Hamlet og Sha- nesong. Det har i seg noko både dyrisk og rer under i eit vell av teknisk mangfald. Mar- river already a river / There’s a river and kespeare sitt skodespel med same namn – fornektande, alt etter den musikalske ny- cato, pizzicato, sul pont, spit tongue, flutter there’s a river already and there’s already og fjerna stort sett alle menn. Ho har også ansen som kjem på: Også Ophelia pendlar og breathy sounds gjev damene eit mang- a river…». Dette er Ophelia sin aller før- fjerna mange ord. Shakespeare sin djupsin- mellom røynd og galskap. Med blikket til fald av forkledningar, dei leikar; brytast ikkje ste tekst, og ho syng mekanisk, desperat. dige og ytringssterke grublar er blitt ein Ophelia går operaen om eit vere og eit ikkje- ned, som menneska. Kortpusta og i eit ikkje-mønster vrengjast nokså stotrande figur, og i musikken under- vere, men funderer òg på kva ein er, for kven nærast stemma – på ein einskild tone. Star- strekar komponisten dette skjøre. Hamlet – heilt frå starten når Ophelia står der, fast Mykje i verket er kontrastar. Det opplevast ten er slutten i dette verket. Det opnar i eit er i grenselandet, kanskje mellom barn og i elva og syng. til dømes som eit paradoks når komponisten fastlåst intervall, ein avgrensa identitet, eit vaksen, kanskje like gjerne mellom delar av freistar byggja «ingenting» av tonar, slik ein menneske som ikkje ser ein utveg når det sitt eige medvit. Det fanst ei utklippsbok til grunn for dette kan seia han gjer i aller første scene. Her får møter Løveids ord. Men så følgjer nok eit arbeidet: ei bok som samla kunst og post- songarane (endå utan klår personlegdom) paradoks: Ho rivest ut av tonen, byggjer Komponist Henrik Hellstenius let Hamlet kort, bilete frå vekeblader, sette dei i møte danna par med kvart sitt instrument, og sa- linjer og formidlar ekspressivt om livet sitt. jodla mellom stemmeleie. Prinsen vert ført mellom eksplisitt og implisitt, den kanoni- man syng dei fraser som dei stadig byggjer Det handlar nettopp om å bryta saman i ei i raske skifte frå ein barnsleg melodi og via serte kunsten og det meir vulgære, av pas- opp. Og kappar av. Og startar opp på nytt, kjernehandling: Death by water singing. talesong til fullstemt brystklang. Dermed telltonar og sterke neonfargar. Det er desse med utgangspunkt i Løveid sitt vonde im- blir han også ustabil. Om Hamlets ord er bileta eg ser føre meg i første møte med den perativ om altså å vera ingenting. Men utø- IDA HABBESTAD færre, er vokalregisteret blitt breitt, det re- lyden komponisten teiknar kring Ophelia, varane handlar medan dei vil byggja denne duserer og det kompliserer karakteren endå ein lyd som openbart og fysisk har struktur tilstanden – og syner at det er vanskeleg å meir. Ei slik kopling mellom ord og lyd kan som vatn. Lyden rører seg som det den er; vera ingenting – og ingen. sjåast som ei utviding av begge uttrykksfor- ei bylgje, det er som om den gjerne vil vera mer – i det det eine ikkje understrekar, eller visuell; eit bilete i ei utklippsbok. Kontrastar finn ein også somme gonger einast stadfestar det andre. mellom det som på papiret er ein kjølig, syl- Fleire av vekebladsbileta dukkar opp i min- kvass tekst og det ein i partituret kan lesa Mykje handlar om å rufsa til. Der Hamlets net når eg møter skognymfene si framferd. som eit ønske om å skapa sjølve lyden av altomfattande «To be or not to be» pirkar inn Også dei er dyriske og grafsar, ertar, hek- ein emosjon. Eit døme er korleis dei skumle, THE DISINTEGRATION A lot of this is about making waves. Where When I first meet the forest nymphs and Contrasts are also found in what on paper OF OPHELIA Hamlet’s all embracing "To be or not to be" the way they behave, I am reminded of im- reads like a frosty, acerbic script, but whose points right into the core of our existence, ages from weekly gossip magazines. These score on manuscript can be seen as an at- With this work, librettist Cecilie Løveid has Ophelia's question "Am I a mouse?" is more woodmaidens are also animal-like, snatch- tempt to create the sound of an emotion. taken the Danish myth of Hamlet and the taboo and subtle. Her question becomes ing, teasing and cajoling around Ophe- One example of this is how the chilling but Shakespeare play of the same name and somewhat more naive when the accom- lia. The nymphs move in impulses, where also dry words "drip, drip blood" are given virtually removed most of the men. She has panying musical expression echoes that abrupt single utterances from each of them a tremulous and clearly terrified sensitiv- also done away with many of the words. of a children’s song. The musical nuances form the words and sentences. The ensem- ity when Hamlet sings them in falsetto. In Shakespeare's deep and strongly expres- bring forward her self-denial and animalism. ble pulsates under a multitude of techni- another instance, there is the simple, self- sive brooder has become a rather stuttering Ophelia vacillates between relative lucidity cal terms. Marcato, pizzicato, sul pont, spit evident line: "A river already a river / There’s figure, with a fragility that is underscored in and madness. With focus on Ophelia, right tongue, flutter and breathy sounds provide a river and there’s a river already and there’s the music. Hamlet is in a borderline state, from the start when she is standing in the the women with a wealth of different guises. already a river…" These are Ophelia's very perhaps between adolescence and adult- river singing, the opera goes further than They are mercilessly playful, and unlike hu- first words, which she sings mechanically hood, perhaps between the parts of his con- the mere to be or not to be question, touch- mans, cannot be broken down. and desperately with short breaths and in sciousness. ing on what one is, and for whom. a linear, distorted voice on one note. In this This is largely a work of contrasts. Para- oeuvre, the beginning is the end. It opens Composer Henrik Hellstenius provides It is as if a scrapbook is the basis for this dox is experienced in the very first scene with a deadlocked interval, a constrained Hamlet with a wide scope of vocal articu- work, one that collects art, postcards and when Hellstenius is tempted to build a tonal identity, a person who does not see any lation. The Prince’s voice traverses the clippings from newspapers and arranges "nothingness". Here the songstresses (still way out when met with Løveid’s words. And full range, with rapid shifts from child-like them together between the explicit and im- not yet given their identities) form in pairs herein lies yet another paradox. Ophelia melodies through to recitatives and boom- plicit, the venerated art forms with the more with their own instrument and together breaks out of her monotone and then builds ing, resonant timbres. This also renders vulgar, and of pastel colours with strong vivid sing the phrases they gradually build up, up her lines and expressively begins to con- him unstable. With Hamlet’s words fewer colours. It is these images I see that lead me then cut out and start up again, in tune vey stories about her life. This expresses and his vocal register broader, it reduces through my first encounter with the sounds with Løveid’s painfully nihilistic imperative. the core theme of her disintegration: Death and it complicates the character even fur- that the composer creates around Ophelia, However, the performers move around while by water singing. ther. Such a connection between words and sounds that are clearly inspired by water. building up this aspect, illustrating that it is sounds can be seen as an extension of both The sound moves along like a rolling wave. hard to be nothing, or no-one. IDA HABBESTAD forms of expression, neither emphasising It wants to be visual, as if it were an image in nor confirming each other. a scrapbook. CECILIE LØVEID AND HENRIK HELLSTENIUS

OPHELIAS: DEATHBY WATER SINGING

A LIBRETTO

RECASTING: OPHELIA HAMLET GERTRUDE

INTRODUCING: THE WOODMAIDENS OPHELIAS: You are so … DEATH BY WATER SINGING You are so without You are nothing INTRO – while the audience enters the hall You are nothing The King moves around on the stage in darkness. You are so … Without SCENE 1 – Let's be hopeless Cataract roar, water. Feeling of space, landscape, as well as a clean inside room. ALL (together) Hey! Contemporary young woman. Contemporary mature woman & young man. ALL (repeated in a cacophony of voices) Young woman fills a tube with water. Thinking of both bath tub and the morgue. It takes its Hey thing! Let's be objects time. The tub is transparent. The young man lights a light bulb. It shines trough the water. ALL (together) Hey! ALL (repeated in a cacophony of voices) ALL (in a cacophony of voices) Hey thing! Let’s be hopeless Let's be objects Let's be objects Let's be things + + + + Let's be things

You can handle SCENE 2 – Already a river Let's be things Skull singing down the river. You can know

Let's be no-one ALL (together) Let's be nothing Hey! Let's be hopeless Thing! Let's be without

Let's be dreamers OPHELIA Let's be hopeless A River Already a River Hey thing! There's a River Hey thing! And there's a River Already

SCENE 1 SCENE 2 And There's already a River It's already not the same river And There's already a River It's already not still my A River Not my river Already My silence my river my silence my river my My my my River Love My my Silence The same river Why? The same silence My love It's the same Why? It's the same My love It's the same My river River My river true It's the same silence My river Green River, my river My river Blue My river Silence Was already was My river It is not it is not True It is not the same My love It is another another another I am already World The river It's another world Rest It's another river Already a river The cast present themselves. Still another river It's not the same river GERTRUDE It's already not the river I am Gertrude, the Queen It's not the same river Already not the same river HAMLET appears, swinging his sword. Still it's not my river

SCENE 2 SCENE 2 WOODMAIDENS And wait for the waves Hamlet And wait to be wife Hamlet And for the Lovely Nights Hamlet is here Waiting for the love and the Lover

OPHELIA OPHELIA does not answer, they go on chatting, go further into a play with words. I am Ophelia I am Ophelia WOODMAIDENS No Angel WOODMAIDENS No Angel We are the woodmaidens No Angel We are the woodmaidens No death No death + + + + Just a Ghost Just a Ghost SCENE 3 – Hi, Ophelia! No Ghost Boat to Elsinore. OPHELIA sits alone. Suddenly the WOODMAIDENS arrive, No Ghost, just a Doormat dressed up in the latest fashion. No Doormat Just a Dormouse WOODMAIDENS Just a woman Hi! Just a-cry Closer Hm Not a Cock just a Suck fulfilled Hi! Just a Sweet sixteen Hi! Wants to be a Queen Ophelia! No mouse Await and Await No queen For the love and the lover No mouse And wait to be wife No queen And wait for the waves She is

SCENE 3 SCENE 3 WOODMAIDENS The black staircase //: Just a woman The pouring and leaking A woman :// Zig zag in the Castle Happy is the one that has no home OPHELIA sits listening in silence. The boat arrives at Kronborg castle. Happy is the one that has no home Dances out. Happy is the one that has no!

GERTRUDE in the castle alone after guests, drunk. + + + +

GERTRUD SCENE 4 – I am a mouse Sea Zig Zaw Sea Zig Zaw Sea By the river. OPHELIA is bathing, idyll, birds singing, HAMLET comes by, Saw Zig Zaw Sea (etc.) observes her secretly. Zig Zag in the house In the Zig Zag in the house OPHELIA O Valiant Hamlet Am I a Mouse See the black staircase Am I a Monkey zig zag in the house The little Mountain See this great green funeral meats The big Sky On the table Am I a Mouse The black tiles I am a Donkey The black books Am I a Monkey The black bed Am I the blue Sky The black tiles Am I a Mountain The black bread La la la la la This pouring and leaking I don't know why OPHELIA Stones I am a mouse Sculptures I am a monkey Furnitures The high high mountain This black pouring and leaking The big big big sky

SCENE 3 SCENE 4 La la la la la HAMLET OPHELIA I don´t know why You're my happy happy voice La la la la la

HAMLET HAMLET + WOODMAIDENS Not just your hands Limb lamb chops What? Not just your eyes, your eyes OPHELIA Is there anybody? My desire I am a mouse OPHELIA discovers a skull in the grass. WOODMAIDENS His desire I am a monkey HAMLET WOODMAIDENS The little mountain I can see you tremble She does not want She is a sheep The big big big sky Space Space Space to do When can we embrace HAMLET La la la la la la You're my happy singing + + + + You're my happy happy voice SCENE 5 – Rainbows WOODMAIDENS GERTRUDE in Castle alone. Clean but very low and distorted. She is a sheep I am a mouse The WOODMAIDENS imitate sounds from GERTRUDE.

HAMLET + WOODMAIDENS TAPE VOICE GERTRUDE Limb lamb chops I am a monkey Rainbows Rainbows Ice HAMLET Heath Ice You're my singing Or running water Heath Space The little mountain Running water In autumn leaves Leaves WOODMAIDENS On the pool Limb lamb chop The big big sky And when the winter came Winter came

SCENE 4 SCENE 5 The water froze In the midst of the night Ice hung from the trees This place melts away Where the cherry blossom OPHELIA The drip Comes out Comes out I am a mouse The drop A month later Later I am a monkey The drip The spill WOODMAIDENS The little mountain The spill The little The big big sky The Spell The big big sky I am a mouse Of blood

I am a donkey Doomed I am a sweet anus venus To silence I'm an anus venus To silence

The only things I am religious about I don't know why The WOODMAIDENS get in-between. Are drinking lots of water and Using Sunscreen WOODMAIDENS Step back + + + + Step back Step back SCENE 6 – The drip of blood You can still have your fun Night, morning, fog. You can still have your fun Fog lifts, a murder is about to take place: You can still have your fun HAMLET is approaching the King to kill him. Step back Step back HAMLET Step back Drip drip blood You can still have your fun Drip drip blood You can still have your fun! In the midst of the fields

SCENE 6 SCENE 6 SCENE 7 – On a windy day Her features are all hand-painted Open landscape by the sea. OPHELIA by the sea. Her hair is hand-dyed mohair She has beautifully detailed hands and feet OPHELIA She is expected Close to the Sea To recline On a windy day On her back Very little to do And gaze at the sky But read Will I ever be Prince Hamlet's wife? GERTRUDE + WOODMAIDENS Looking into the Sun I am (she is) Gertrude Exposed by the Tide Silly and shallow Here and there Like a sheep in the sun Here and there The Sea and the high high Cliffs GERTRUD Sometime inaccessible Beaches My Son my Sun oh my Son and my Sun Sometime places I am worn out Where the Sea the Sea I'm like a jewel on my first husband's finger can be From the queen… Approached

OPHELIA + GERTRUDE GERTRUDE + WOODMAIDENS Very little else to do From a queen to the would-be-queen But read And to the daughter I never had Will I (you) ever be Prince Hamlet's wife She is showing us a slide album. OPHELIA Very little else to do GERTRUDE Here is a monkey climbing a tree But read The tree again Am I really supposed to be A monkey again A girl all my life She is one of a kind creation Will I ever be Supported by wires Prince Hamlet's wife With no use of moulds

SCENE 7 SCENE 7 SCENE 8 – The black prince is back We have a Love-forecast for you Lots of pictures of hunters riding. HAMLET is also on a hunt. The fog comes, The young Ophelia HAMLET suddenly he finds himself outside the house of the WOODMAIDENS. My heart is set on fire The young Ophelia WOODMAIDENS The Monkey? Hamlet is hunting in the woods The Bird? He enters a fog The Donkey? Suddenly he is outside this house Or the little Cat too? OOOOOO! The Prince, the black Prince is back! She is too young Ack! She is a Monkey I am kindled by her fair Ack! She is a Mouse and lustrous body Ack! She is an Ass-Donkey Not just her eyes… Quack! She is a Virgin How black Her hands Smack She is too young The drips of Water Ham, Ham, Hamlet She is a Monkey I want this love Hamlet is here ladies She is a Donkey Might not be delayed We have a Love-forecast for you! In the enjoyment of its desire HAMLET What? She is no child No child! Love-forecast? Not an infant anymore Who are you? Does she go We are the Woodmaidens Does she go all the way? We know the arts of Magic The arts of Magic Reverend Hamlet was troubled by The arts of War The sight of Ophelia bathing, hi hi The arts of Victory And was seized by The arts of Silence Boundless Love

SCENE 8 SCENE 8 Boundless Love And worthy of immortal fame How lovely! Does she go all the way? Who being armed Like Musicke of diuition Shrewdly armed What should we think With a feint of folly Brightness of beauty Covered with wisdom too high for human wit Boundless Love This place melts away Under a marvelous disguise His heart's on fire Of silliness Like Musicke of diuition I can see you tremble Silliness Brightness of beauty See you tremble Get dressed to Space Silliness HAMLET + WOODMAIDENS WOODMAIDENS Boundless Love Speed speed speed speed Hamlet Ophelia My (His) heart's on fire Lay your hand upon The second a food When can we lady in the land From the castle GERTRUDE is dressing up OPHELIA. of extraordinary embrace A toy in blood Delightsomeness An ever crying stone GERTRUDE The dress is a splendid lady's Hamlet Break my heart An ancient dress Speed speed speed When can we Break my heart All flowered over Speed speed speed speed Hamlet embrace In silver embroidery Ophelia! + + + + Do you go All the way SCENE 9 – I tremble and listen All the way with sword Ophelia! HAMLET I tremble and listen Old and dirty No mouse is stirring HAMLET But rather good The night has grown late Does she go all the way? The dress belongs to a splendid lady I gird my armour on Does she go all the way? Oh valiant Hamlet

SCENE 8 SCENE 9 OPHELIA is taken through the woods, the blindfold is taken off, and instead she is am melting into Melting into given a mask. She is left alone posing on a lovely bed in the middle of the woods. The Me You wolves howling, trolls and all kinds of beasts, old fashioned fairytale.

HAMLET enters. WOODMAIDENS in the background OPHELIA HAMLET //: This night she will never forget Oh my Lord Not just your hands She just wants to be herself I tremble and listen Not just your eyes The girl who wanted to do The impossible I have been so afraid She was transformed Act as you do not know me Into an animal I am ready She had never been before I tremble and listen A woman :// Melting into I Little snow white Strong Little snow green Weak Little snow blue Seductive Little snow red Inadequate am melting into green Oppressed I am Silly-Tom sometimes What about Virginal, is it old fashioned? I float along the floor like I Icebergs Cuts from porn film on Hamlet at Elsinore is shown, in a twisted version. am ready I have something for you for I am melting into the Joy click click click OPHELIA HAMLET I I am melting Go to a nunnery! Click click click I You pass away Love Little Ladyfinger Sometimes I bang my head The world Melting into I against the tree Is your

SCENE 9 SCENE 9 Dreaming silver leafs Reverend you? Brick sand silk And your little mouse The animals Marble birds milk too! I am here Wooden mountain Where are you? With glass sky I hope it can be A river Everything fountain Already a river You and I Handled There's a river Discreetly And there's a river Swear! Already and there's already a river I swear A river and there's already my, my, my river This is in my memory locked Swear! My, my, my, my River And you And I and you My, my silence Yourself shall keep The key of it My, my silence Saving it for eternity Saving it for eternity La la la la la la I am linked forever I am Ophelia Like a willow Wait for me I am Ophelia Made of stone Wait for me Where are you? I will wait for you Wait for me + + + +

+ + + + SCENE 11 – Murder and waiting HAMLET kills the king. SCENE 10 – Where are you? The WOODMAIDENS are playing the mouth harp. HAMLET Drip drip blood. OPHELIA Drip drip blood I am here In the midst of the fields in the midst of the night Where are you

SCENE 10 SCENE 11 This place melts away Divided from herself I can see you tremble see you tremble. And her fair judgement Space Without that we are When can we embrace? Pictures Tell her! OPHELIA is waiting and singing ornamental figures: winter/ spring time/ autumn She feels too much The glass tube fills with water, they put flowers in the water. OPHELIA is waiting Sweet graceful Ophelia in a very uncomfortable way, like she tries to be in the river. Tell! Tell her the news. He has killed The King my Lady OPHELIA Words divided among the Murd’ring the King A – WOODMAIDENS Your lover has murdered his father Get thee to a nunnery, said He The Prince And be free Cut him in pieces Free to sing And gave it Or to die? To the swine A rose and a candle Be the queen of Water By accident By accident – he took him to Of Valentine's day Be the big swine – I mean he took him The Birds will Gave it to the to be the King. Meet their valentines, Will she Swine I mean he was not a swine but a king Will she meet the love No he was not, he just //: And the lover It was by accident the King my dear And the love :// OPHELIA Lady Willow No WOODMAIDENS I & II WOODMAIDEN III Speak no more Get thee to a nunnery, said He Play music along with it I do not believe you And be free to sing This can not be Poor Ophelia This can't be

SCENE 11 SCENE 11 SCENE 12 – To get bigger eyes GERTRUDE + HAMLET OPHELIA enters in a long veil, pregnant, with scattered wisps of straw in her hair. Happy is the one that has no lover Spreading the veil on the ground and while singing, she spreads flowers upon it in the Happy is the one that has no home shape of a cross, as to make her father’s grave, and mimes a burial. Happy is the one that has no son Happy is the one that has no home When I mount OPHELIA + WOODMAIDENS The zig zag stairs To get bigger eyes I'm like a star cloud Get big eyes How heavy this cloud is! I put on a falconer's glove The black tiles I send my falcon The black bed Into the sky The murky fucking The blue sky A cold battlement The falcon kills doves Of luxury of cold incest And the falcon eats doves The black curtains Before my eyes The black candles And it places the dove rings The incestuous sheets Before my feet Happy is the one that has no home The black staircase in the house As empty wedding rings Don’t search for something RECORDED VOICE That may not occur Rainbows Happy is the one that has no home Happy is the one that has no home Ice Or running water GERTRUDE Look at my hands Look at my hands The water froze And icicles hung from my fingers

SCENE 12 SCENE 12 SCENE 13 – I'm a little happy Struggling for freeing herself Outside the castle. HAMLET arrives from England in a boat with the company of two Dressed only in the slimy clay beautiful women: The Princess of England and the Queen of Scotland – both his mistresses Slipping Slippery and wifes. OPHELIA, pregnant, in Wellington boots, is climbing a willow tree over the river. Falling Muddy She is hanging gifts for HAMLET from the branches... Slipping Struggling Falling Slippery clay OPHELIA like a false, sad echo sounding of something passed Struggling to free herself I am a Mouse Opaque skin I am a Monkey Body parts Cropped by the moving The little Mountain Light of Water WOODMAIDENS The big big Sky //:Your love has Drown'd my I am a Mouse Prince drown'd I am a Monkey Your love my Prince Your little snow white The little Mountain Little snow blue The big big Sky Your little She has drown'd I am Ophelia Little snow white Where is your winter I am a little…happy Where is your spring No more tears:// HAMLET HAMLET and GERTRUDE are observing the dead OPHELIA. Little snow white Where is your winter HAMLET + GERTRUDE Where is your spring Opaque skin Winter no more She was dressed in the No more tears, climbing trees Slimy clay No more tears No more tears

SCENE 13 SCENE 13 THE END

THIS LIBRETTO BRIMS WITH ELEMENTS FROM OTHER WRITTEN SOURCES SUCH AS THE MYTH OF AMLED, PRINCE OF DENMARK , BY SAXO GRAMMATICUS, SHAKESPEARS HAMLET, AND THE VICTORIAN PICTORIAL VERSIONS, SUCH AS MILLAIS' PAINTING (OPHELIA, 1851–52), MILLAIS’ SITUATION WHEN HE PAINTED THE PICTURE, AS WELL AS MODERN OPHELIAS, SUCH AS PHOTOS BY TOM HUNTER (THE WAY HOME , 2000), GREGORY CREWDSON (UNTITELED [OPHELIA], 2001), GERHARD RICHTER (OPHELIA, ABSTRACT PAINTING).

©CECILIE LØVEID 2004 HENRIK HELLSTENIUS COMPOSER

Henrik Hellstenius (b. 1963) studied Musi- cology at the University of Oslo and then later Composition with Lasse Thoresen at the Norwegian Academy of Music. In 1992- 93 he studied with Gérard Grisey at the Paris Conservatoire, as well as computer- assisted composition at IRCAM.

Hellstenius’ output encompasses a broad range of works: chamber music, orchestral works, operas, instrumental theatre works, music for dance and staged concerts. His music is frequently performed at concerts and festivals around the world. His opera Sera received the Norwegian Edvard Award in 2000, and has been staged in Oslo and Warsaw. His second opera, Ophelias: Death by Water Singing was premiered in Oslo in 2005 and staged in Poland, Norway and Germany. He has been the Composer in Residence with the Oslo Philharmonic Or- chestra. Henrik Hellstenius is also a Profes- sor of Composition at the Norwegian Acad- emy of Music in Oslo. www.hellstenius.no CECILIE Among her major oeuvres are the three the- LØVEID matically interconnected historical plays LIBRETTIST Barock Friise (1993), Maria Q (1994) and Rhindøtrene (1996), where Løveid portrays Cecilie Løveid was born in Mysen in 1951 the role of modern women in a historical and lives in Bergen, where she grew up, light (with music by Henrik Hellstenius). after a 26 year long period of living in Oslo The play Østerrike (1998) is a dialogue be- and Copenhagen. Aside from being a writer, tween Ibsen's Brand and Ludwig Wittgen- she works as a writing teacher at the Writ- stein's life and thoughts. The theme of her er’s Academy of Hordaland. chamber play Visning (2005, premiered at the National Theatre in 2014) is built around Løveid made her literary debut in 1972 and the viewing of a house for sale. her body of work includes novels, poetry, drama, opera libretti, children's books and Cecilie Løveid was appointed the role of written composition for performance art. Festival Poet at the Bergen International Her plays have been performed numerous Festival in 1991, and has served on the Lit- times at home and abroad, in theaters and erary Council of the Norwegian Association on radio and television. She has also per- of Authors as well as the Drama council of formed in her own productions and collabo- the Writers’ Guild of Norway and has been rated with several composers and artists. a Norwegian representative at the Biennale in Bonn. Her works for the stage include Vinteren revner (1982), Balansedame (1985) and Dobbel nytelse (1988), while her work Fornuftige dyr (1986) has been performed on stage, as well as television and radio. She wrote the libretto for the opera DUSJ 1 opera for 2, which was performed at the Bergen International Festival in 1984, as well as the stage performance Badehuset (1990). ELISABETH The list of artists she has worked with is TORA Since then, Tora Augestad has become a HOLMERTZ long and contains both folk musicians, clas- AUGESTAD regular guest in the opera houses, concert SOPRANO sical musicians and jazz musicians. Pianist MEZZO–SOPRANO halls, and theatres of her native Norway and OPHELIA Kenneth Karlsson, lute player Fredrik Bock, GERTRUDE in the rest of Europe, sharing the podium and Poul Høxbro, flute player and percus- with musical partners such as the Bergen Elisabeth Holmertz is a classically trained sionist, are some of the musicians she works "Tora Augestad is far more than an aca- Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble Modern soprano who began singing so-called "ear- with on a regular basis. She has previously demically trained singer. She lives and suf- (the Three Penny Opera under the direc- ly music" at the beginning of the '90s and released two CDs with Fredrik Bock on the fers through her songs, taking her vocal and tion of HK Gruber in Athens, and Benedict contemporary music at the end of the same LAWO Classics label, one of them with con- theatrical capabilities to the max." Mason’s Chaplin Operas in Dresden, Baden- decade and has, since then, distinguished tributions from Poul Høxbro. – Mitteldeutsche Zeitung Baden, Salzburg and Strasbourg), the Oslo herself as one of Scandinavia’s boldest in- Sinfonietta (Pierrot Lunaire at the Chamber terpreters in both fields. She is also co-founder of the group Odd Tora Augestad’s versatility inspires com- Music Festival in Oslo, and Christian Eggen’s Size, famed for its interpretations of, posers, theatre directors, and conductors. opera Eine Bitte at the Venice Biennale), En- She mixes genres, styles and expressions; amongst other pieces, their version of Hän- Through commissioning new works and col- semble Contrechamps (No Thanks by Evan one day lute songs, the second day pop mu- del's Messiah with just four musicians. laborations with her various ensembles, she Gardner), and the Klangforum Wien (Grisey’s sic, the third day avantgarde performance continuously seeks new challenges and the Quatre Chants pour franchir le seuil, con- and experimental opera, the fourth day may- Her main education began in Oslo at the State exchange of artistic ideas. She is capable ducted by Sylvain Cambreling in the Vienna be an oratorium. academy of Music, where she studied with of being theatrically convincing in an ap- Konzerthaus). In 2014 she world premiered Prof. Barbro Marklund-Petersône, and ended propriate and compelling manner while en- Hellstenius' hour long piece Loven with the Elisabeth colloaborates with and has per- with a Konzertexamen in Cologne 2004. Her gaging her vocal abilities, which defy easy Oslo Philharmonic. formed music by some of the most success- teacher at that time was Prof. Barbara Schlick. classification. ful composers of today: Rolf Wallin, Tansy Augestad has toured theater and opera stages Davies, Maja S.K. Ratkje, Georg Friedrich Her home address is in Oslo, but Elisabeth feels Born in Bergen in 1979, singer/actress Tora throughout Europe in the last years as part Haas, Helmut Lachenmann and others. equally at home in Gothenburg, Copenhagen Augestad studied classical music as well as of her collaboration with Swiss star-director and the rest of the world. jazz, singing in Oslo and Stockholm, devoting Christoph Marthaler. She is the vocalist in Among the numerous ensembles and or- herself principally to repertoire of the 20th the ensemble Music for a while and joint chestras she’s been a soloist with are Con- Most important is the music. and 21st centuries. She holds a master de- Artistic Director of Hardanger Music Festival. certo Copenhagen (DK), Cikada Ensemble gree in cabaret singing from the Norwegian In 2015 she was nominated for the Nordic (NO), the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Academy of Music in Oslo. Council Music Prize. Danish National Chamber Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. IVAN Ivan has performed recitals throughout Europe SILJE new opera Simon by Gerhard Stäbler at the LUDLOW and the United States and is often partnered by AKER JOHNSEN Norwegian Opera and Ballet. BARITONE Daniel Tong, pianist of the London Bridge En- SOPRANO HAMLET semble. He appears in concert with orchestras WOODMAIDEN Silje has given numerous vocal pieces their such as Ensemble Modern, Remix Ensemble, world premiere and has guested at festivals Born in London, Ivan Ludlow attended the Seattle Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Silje Aker Johnsen was educated at the such as the Huddersfield Contemporary Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Estonian Symphony, BBC Symphony, Le Par- Grieg Academy of Music in Bergen, Univer- Music Festival, Die Donaueschinger Musik- the National Opera Studio. He is a regular lement de Musique, Orquestra Nacional do sität der Künste, Berlin and holds a Master tage, Ultima Contemporary Music Festival guest at some of Europe’s most prestigious Porto, Il Seminario Musicale and Divino Sospiro. Degree in Classical Singing from the Norwe- and the Bergen International Festival. opera venues, including Brussels, Salzburg gian Academy of Music, Oslo. She is now a Festival, Naples, Spoleto, Paris, Lyon, Ath- Ivan is particularly interested in new music performing Artistic Research Fellow at the Silje was honoured with the title "Per- ens, Toulouse, Welsh National Opera, Stras- and new artistic forms. He has recently per- Opera Academy at the Academy of Arts, former of the Year" 2013 by the Norwegian bourg, Marseille, Bordeaux, Metz, Casa da formed world premieres of pieces by Franc- Oslo. During her studies and throughout her Composer’s Union. Musica (Porto), Vlaamse Oper (Antwerp), esco Fillidei, Isidora Zebeljan and David Mat- career she has maintained a strong focus Lausanne. He has worked with an array of thews as well as taking part in performances on contemporary music in addition to the conductors such as Christophe Rousset, of music by Heinz Holliger, Wolfgang Rihm, baroque and classical vocal repertory. She Adam Fischer, Jan Latham Koenig, Jean- Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell-Davies. works with a wide range of scenic expres- Yves Ossonce, Cyril Diedrich, Franck Ollu, His Brussels based company Room7 look for sions and performance settings. Christoph Ullrich Meyer, Ludovic Morlot, innovative ways to perform both contempo- Gerard Korsten and Gustav Kuhn. He has rary and classical opera and music theatre She has interpreted such roles as Io in The sung many roles including those of Don Gio- often approaching works more as art installa- Io Passion by Harrison Birthwistle with vanni, Guglielmo, Onegin, Iarba (La Didone), tions/events than theatrical set pieces. the Berliner Kammeroper in Konzerthaus Escamillo, Nevers (Les Huguenots), the Berlin as well as the female protagonist in Count (Capriccio), Marcello, Shadow (The He has recorded for Hyperion (complete Pou- A Gentle Spirit by John Tavener with the Rake’s Progress), Danilo, Belcore, Aeneas, lenc Songs with Graham Johnson), Sonimage same company. Silje performed as a singer Demetrius, Traveller (Curlew River), As- (Faure and Schumann discs with LBE), Dutton and performer at The National Theatre trologer (Burning Fiery Furnace), Baritone (Bridge songs with LBE). His DVD appear- of Norway in the piece I år skal det være (Maxwell-Davies’ No. 11 Bus) Le Mari (Les ances include La Veuve Joyeuse from Opera moderne by Liv Heloe. Recently in 2015 Mamelles de Tiresias). de Lyon and Lulu from La Monnaie. she took on the main female part Mia in the JANNA EBBA CHRISTIAN CIKADA VETTERGREN RYDH EGGEN ENSEMBLE MEZZO-SOPRANO MEZZO–SOPRANO CONDUCTOR WOODMAIDEN WOODMAIDEN Conductor, composer and pianist, Christian Since its formation in Oslo in 1989, the Cikada Since graduating from the Royal Academy Ebba Rydh, mezzo-soprano, was born in Eggen is one of the most influential person- Ensemble has developed a refined and highly of Music in Stockholm in 2009, mezzo- Uppsala in Sweden. She moved to Oslo, Nor- alities on the Norwegian music scene, ranging acclaimed profile on the international contem- soprano Janna Vettergren has sung all the way, in 2000 for studies at the Norwegian from contemporary music via genremerging porary music scene. From the very beginning, great oratorios and sacred works through- State Opera Academy. Since her graduation projects, installations, television and radio Cikada has consisted of flute, clarinet, piano, out her native Sweden and Norway, from in 2003 she has worked as a freelance singer, drama productions to film, theatre, jazz, opera percussion, string quintet and conductor and classical music. Christian Eggen. All ten are equal, permanent medieval to baroque and romantic. She is an with a special heart for the baroque and con- members, and the ensemble has become syn- accomplished interpreter of contemporary temporary music genres and chamber mu- As a conductor, he is known as one of Eu- onymous with the Oslo Sound of fresh, vibrant, music and has participated in operas as well sic. She is a well-established soloist and has rope’s finest interpreters of contemporary warm and virtuosic interpretations of con- as featured in concerts and festivals with sung most of the great church masterpieces music and has worked closely with compos- sciously selected, contemporary repertoire. the leading Nordic contemporary ensem- from the baroque and classical eras. ers such as Morton Feldman, John Cage and bles such as BIT20 and KammarensembleN. Helmut Lachenmann. As artistic director of In concerts at major international festivals Her many years’ experience in the Swed- Ebba Rydh is one of six singers in the clas- the Oslo Sinfonietta, he has developed the and on numerous albums, Cikada’s distinct ish Radio Choir among other professional sical vocal ensemble Nordic Voices, which is Norwegian sinfonietta repertoire since the ensemble profile manifests itself in strong choirs makes her a keen ensemble musician. one of the leading vocal ensembles in Europe nineties, and he regularly appears on the programming. Integral to this work is a wish in their genre. Their main focuses are renais- European contemporary music scene with to develop long-term collaborations with She also runs the Stockholm Bach Society sance and contemporary music, and they groups such as the Ensemble MusikFabrik composers and to build composer portraits and works with several projects which aim have a reputation of being fearless when it and Ensemble InterContemporain. with commissioned works over time. The nine to bring classical music to children and comes to experimenting with their voices. musicians also form various formations within young people. Christian Eggen appears on a great number of the group: Cikada String Quartet and Cikada Ebba Rydh is also the singer in SyrinEnsemb- recordings within all aspects of his wide musi- Trio (flute, clarinet, piano) work as independ- let, a trio that mixes jazz, pop and folk music cal horizons. He has been principle featured ent Cikada units, adding to the ensemble’s with elements from klezmer, opera, classical performer at the Bergen International Festival international identity. music and contemporary music. and in 2007, he was appointed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for his Cikada was awarded the prestigious Nordic work with Norwegian and international con- Council Music Prize in 2005. temporary music. CIKADA MUSICIANS

FLUTE: ANNE KARINE HAUGE CLARINET: ROLF BORCH VIOLIN: ODD HANNISDAL VIOLA: BENDIK FOSS DOUBLE BASS: NICHOLAS CHALK PERCUSSION: BJØRN RABBEN PIANO: BJARNE SAKSHAUG

CONDUCTOR: CHRISTIAN EGGEN

RECORDED AT THE NORWEGIAN OPERA AND BALLET, OSLO, 3–10 MAY 2014 PRODUCER: VEGARD LANDAAS | BALANCE ENGINEER: THOMAS WOLDEN EDITING: VEGARD LANDAAS | MASTERING: THOMAS WOLDEN BOOKLET NOTES: IDA HABBESTAD | ENGLISH TRANSLATION: PAUL HOLDEN BOOKLET EDITOR: HEGE WOLLENG COVER DESIGN: ANETTE L’ORANGE | BLUNDERBUSS COVER AND BOOKLET PHOTOS: ISTOCK BY GETTY IMAGES HENRIK HELLSTENIUS PHOTO: LARS SKAANING CECILIE LØVEID PHOTO: SØREN BRUUN | KOLON FORLAG

THIS RECORD HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM

ARTS COUNCIL NORWAY FUND FOR PERFORMING ARTISTS NORWEGIAN COMPOSERS’ UNION THE NORWEGIAN ACADEMY OF MUSIC

LWC1098 p 2016 LAWO c 2016 LAWO CLASSICS HENRIK HELLSTENIUS AND CECILIE LØVEID

OPHELIAS: DEATHBY WATER SINGING (2005)

01. INTRO [00:19]

02. SCENE 1 – LET’S BE HOPELESS [03:46]

03. SCENE 2 – ALREADY A RIVER [04:49]

04. SCENE 3 – HI OPHELIA! [06:49]

05. SCENE 4 – I AM A MOUSE [04:50]

06. SCENE 5 – RAINBOWS [02:50]

07. SCENE 6 – THE DRIP OF BLOOD [04:43]

08. SCENE 7 – ON A WINDY DAY [06:05]

09. SCENE 8 – THE BLACK PRINCE IS BACK [09:21]

10. SCENE 9 – I TREMBLE AND LISTEN [11:37]

11. SCENE 10 – WHERE ARE YOU? [02:23]

12. SCENE 11 – MURDER AND WAITING [08:49]

13. SCENE 12 – TO GET BIGGER EYES [04:39]

14. SCENE 13 – I’M A LITTLE HAPPY [06:33]