The Silver Lake at Folkoperan spring 2010
The premiere performance of The Silver Lake by Kurt Weill will be on 23 February 2010 at Folkoperan. The production is directed by Oskaras Koršunovas of Lithuania. The actor Torkel Petersson will take the Folkoperan stage alongside opera singers.
“ Musicality, physicality, expressiveness, humour and intimacy are the hallmarks of Oskaras Koršunovas’s directorial style. An amusing and thought provoking mix of heart, soul and mind,” says Folkoperan artistic director Mira Bartov on her choice of director.
Oskaras Koršunovas runs his own theatre in Vilnius, Lithuania. He has organised guest productions of The Master and Margarita and Romeo and Juliet at Stadsteatern and directed Cleansed at Elverket. Oskaras Koršunovas is regularly commissioned by various European opera companies. His directorial CV includes The Taming of the Shrew at Comédie Française in Paris and The Flying Dutchman in Turin and Riga.
The Silver Lake had its original production in 1933 in Germany. The Nazis banned the work and Kurt Weill was forced to flee the country. The fundamental issue in The Silver Lake concerns whether what is right and wrong should be best dealt with by the law or by our own conscience. The work raises questions about our personal responsibility for our fellow humans. The Silver Lake is a musical drama with as many spoken words as music and is equally demanding of both singers and actors.
The major roles are played by the actor Torkel Petersson as Olim. He has appeared at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm, Göteborgs Stadsteater and in films such as Jalla!Jalla!, Kopps, Mamma, pappa, barn and in numerous TV productions. Daniel Frank (currently appearing in The Pearl Fishers) sings the role of Severin and Ulrika Tenstam (who played the title role in Zarah at Folkoperan) plays Frau von Luber. Fennimore is sung by Ulrika Mjörndal (Jenny Lind Scholarship in 2003 and sang Fedra at Folkoperan in 2004).
Synopsis
It is winter. Severin and his starving compatriots break into a grocery store to steal food. Olim, a police officer, shoots Severin. But when Olim discovers that Severin only stole a pineapple he has an attack of conscience and changes the records so Severin is set free. Olim then resigns. Around this time, Olim wins the lottery. He buys a castle on the Silver Lake with the proceeds and resolves to dedicate his life to nursing Severin, who is now a wheelchair user. Severin, who does not know his benefactor is also the man who shot him, is bitter and lives for the day when he can exact revenge.
Frau von Luber, the castle housekeeper, is avaricious and, with the help of Baron von Laur, seeks to take advantage of the complicated relationship between Olim and Severin. Frau von Luber calls in her niece Fennimore to discover the men’s secret. But Fennimore facilitates a reconciliation between Olim and Severin instead. In the meantime, however, Frau Von Luber and the Baron manage to trick Olim into signing over the castle to them.
Severin and Olim are forced to flee the castle. Frau von Luber’s plan is that they will drown in The Silver Lake in their attempted escape. But the lake has miraculously frozen even though spring is on its way. The two men make their way across the frozen Silver Lake towards spring and to new hope in life.
Production
Music: Kurt Weill
Libretto: Georg Kaiser
Swedish text: Iwar Bergkwist
Director: Oskaras Koršunovas
Musical direction/conductor: Joakim Unander
Scenography: Peter Lundqvist
Costumes: Kajsa Larsson
Lighting: Torkel Blomqvist
Masks & wigs: Therésia Frisk
Olim: Torkel Petersson
Severin: Daniel Frank
Fennimore: Ulrika Mjörndal
Frau von Luber: Ulrika Tenstam
Baron Laur, lottery agent: Kaj Hagstrand
First comrade: Martin Rask
Second comrade : Anders Kjellstrand
First sales assistant, cleaner: Frida Engström
Second sales assistant: Katja Zhylevich
The fat policeman: Conny Thimander
Nurse: Ulrika Nilsson
Folkoperan Orchestra
Performance dates and ticket sales
The Silver Lake premieres on 23 February and runs until 28 March 2010 at Folkoperan. There will also be two performances at Vara Konserthus on 6 and 7 March 2010. Tickets go on sale on 19 November 2009.
Information and press images
Press images can be downloaded at: http://folkoperan.se/press/pressbilder/silversjon
Torkel Petersson: www.agentfirman.com/actor/193/torkel_petersson.html
For further information and interviews, please contact:
Frida Edoff, +46 8 616 07 18, +46 709 50 53 52, frida.edoff@folkoperan.se or
Elenor Wolgers, +46 8 616 07 17, +46 733 44 64 34, elenor.wolgers@folkoperan.se.
