Life Stories
Opera double bill
2015, 2016
- Words
- Anthony Peter and Anton Chekhov
- Composer / Director
- Tim Benjamin
- Music Director
- Antony Brannick
- Designer
- Amy Westwood
Three centuries apart, two lives and two deaths: lives lived well, or lives wasted?
Life Stories
Three centuries apart, two lives and two deaths: lives lived well or lives wasted?
In 2015 and again in 2016, Radius Opera presented LIFE STORIES, a double bill of new one-act operas by Tim Benjamin with words by Anton Chekhov and Anthony Peter, featuring the sensational voices of Taylor Wilson (mezzo-soprano) in SILENT JACK and James Fisher (bass) in R.I.P. and produced by Radius, creators of Emily and Madame X.
“I was absolutely gripped ... the show changed my expectations of opera. Impressive, impeccable”
“Fierce and fiery performances ... this production is a gem”
“...a masterclass in opera, twice over...”
R.I.P.
Rest In Peace
Moscow, 2020: An old man wakes amid the filth and detritus of early 21st century consumerism. Who is he? Why is he sleeping here? What causes the fever that plagues his mind? His last day is upon him. Before the final judgement we hear his tale, told through the questions and exclamations of his past, seared into his mind as his life unwinds.
Silent Jack
His Sorrowful Lamentation And Final Farewell To The World
An English estate, 1720: A young woman stumbles into a secret cellar, the faded trappings of past glory decaying all around. Who is she? Why does she collapse, exhausted, craving sleep? Her final moments have arrived. We hear her tale, of riches and love won and lost, and we learn the terrible truth of the price of her struggle to survive.
Audience feedback
Trailer
“These two operas survey the lives of two very different people from very different times and places in history. For me, these two gripping stories really put into perspective the moments of chance, the loose words, and the tiny decisions that somehow combine to change the course of our lives. In these operas, we get to see these strong characters up close and very personal, compelling us either to sit in judgement on their lives or to reflect on what they mean for our own. It’s also a chance to hear two fantastic voices at very close range!”
LIFE STORIES composer Tim Benjamin
Cast
Taylor Wilson
JACK (mezzo-soprano)
James Fisher
EZDEYEV (bass)
