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Kurt Van der Elst
CREATION
LOD / Bushra El-Turk, Laila Soliman & Stacy Hardy
10 - 11 July 2022
In Woman At Point Zero, we meet an imprisoned Egyptian woman on the night before her execution. An opera about women's rights and abuse - but most of all: about a woman of extraordinary strength.
Woman at Point Zero is a new opera by LOD music theatre inspired by the novel by Egyptian writer and feminist Nawal El Saadawi.
The opera tells the story of two women: Fatma, who is a self-made feminist and activist imprisoned for man-slaughter and Sama, a young ambitious documentary filmmaker who wants to tell her story. Fatma describes to Sama how she searches for freedom from the vicious cycle of violence that controls her life. As their relationship unfolds over the course of one day, they share their memories, experiences and secrets - moving from distrust to curiosity and solidarity and finally friendship. What does it mean to be a woman? What does it mean to be liberated? Is it possible to be freer in prison than outside?
From this universal story of abuse and emancipation, composer Bushra El-Turk, director Laila Soliman, writer Stacy Hardy and scenographer and film designer Bissane Al Charif create a multimedia opera. Conducted by Kanako Abe, the music blends Western and Eastern traditions, performed on a unique mix of ancient folk instruments by musicians from all over the world.
Composition Bushra El-Turk
Direction Laila Soliman
Libretto Stacy Hardy
Text based on Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
Scenography & video design Bissane Al Charif & Julia König
Associate director Nadia Amin
Documentary audio fragments Aida Elkashef
Musical direction Kanako Abe
Assistant musical director Ivan Cheng
Singers Dima Orsho & Carla Nahadi Babelegoto
Ensemble ZAR: Hyelim Kim (taegum), Milos Milivojevic (accordéon), Raphaela Danksagmuller (recorders, crumhorn, fujara, duduk, kaval), Chatori Shimizu (sho), Faraz Eshghi Sahraei (kamancha), Hanna Kölbel (cello)
Repetitor & samples Samir Bendimered
Costumes Eli Verkeyn
Stage manager Patrick Vanderhaeghen
Light design Loes Schakenbos
Video Johannes Ringoot
Light Jamy Hollebeke
Sound Carlo Thompson
Production LOD muziektheater
Coproduction All Aria's festival (deSingel Antwerpen, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Concertgebouw Brugge & Transparant), Royal Opera House London, Shubbak Festival London, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Snape Maltings UK & Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg) with thanks to Kathleen Venneman & Victor Hidalgo
with the support of enoa (European Network of Opera Academies), PRS Foundation, FEDORA, AFAC (The Arab Fund for Art and Culture) & la mesure tax shelter du gouvernement fédéral belge tax shelter partner Flanders TAX Shelter
Woman at Point Zero is the winner of the FEDORA - GENERALI Prize for Opera 2020
Composition Bushra El-Turk
Direction Laila Soliman
Libretto Stacy Hardy
Text based on Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
Scenography & video design Bissane Al Charif & Julia König
Associate director Nadia Amin
Documentary audio fragments Aida Elkashef
Musical direction Kanako Abe
Assistant musical director Ivan Cheng
Singers Dima Orsho & Carla Nahadi Babelegoto
Ensemble ZAR: Hyelim Kim (taegum), Milos Milivojevic (accordéon), Raphaela Danksagmuller (recorders, crumhorn, fujara, duduk, kaval), Chatori Shimizu (sho), Faraz Eshghi Sahraei (kamancha), Hanna Kölbel (cello)
Repetitor & samples Samir Bendimered
Costumes Eli Verkeyn
Stage manager Patrick Vanderhaeghen
Light design Loes Schakenbos
Video Johannes Ringoot
Light Jamy Hollebeke
Sound Carlo Thompson