heart of darkness
In association with American Opera Projects, New York
Heart of Darkness, is based on Joseph Conrad’s book of the same name, which is widely regarded as one of the finest novels of the twentieth century. Set in Africa at the height of European colonialism, this powerful tale explores themes of exploitation and brutality in the oppressive atmosphere of the equatorial rain forest as Marlow, a river boat captain, travels upstream to collect ivory into “an empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest.” He has heard that the remarkable Mr Kurtz, the company’s most successful agent who, “sends in as much ivory as all the others put together … .”, is rumoured to be ill. The voyage turns into an obsessive search for Kurtz.
This is Tarik O'Regan’s first opera. An award winning composer, he has been described in The Observer as, "one of the most original and eloquent of young composers... tonal but cutting-edge". The Times has said, "O'Regan's gift for lyric flight seems boundless. You might have to reach back to Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music, or even Tallis, to find another British vocal work so exultant. He's a composer of generous passion and imagination ... ." The opera is in one act and is scored for 8 singers and 13 instruments. Sung in English, the libretto is the work of Tom Phillips, a well known artist, writer and stage designer, and himself a composer. Edward Dick directs and British tenor Alan Oke, whose recent successes include Satyagraha (ENO) and Anna Nicole (ROH), creates the leading role of Marlow.
Heart of Darkness
(World Première: Tuesday 1st November 2011, Linbury Studio Theatre, Covent Garden)
Music: Tarik O’Regan
Libretto: Tom Phillips
Conductor: Oliver Gooch
Director: Edward Dick
Designer: Robert Innes Hopkins
Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher
Cast
Marlow: Alan Oke
Kurtz: Morten Lassenius Krump
Woman of the River/ Fiancée: Gweneth-Ann Jeffers
Harlequin: Jaewoo Kim
Doctor/Boilerman: Donald Maxwell
Company Director (Thames Boat): Njabulo Madlala
Manager/Secretary: Sipho Fubesi
Chief Accountant/Helmsman: Paul Hopwood
www.tarikoregan.com/ www.tomphillips.com/