The man who mistook his wife for a hat
Music: Michael Nyman Lyrics: Christopher Rawlence adapted from the book by Oliver Sacks M.D.
Première: 2 November 2018, Chamber Stage of the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Ljubljana
Director: Eva Hribernik
Conductor: Simon Dvoršak
Set and costume designer: Jaro Ješe
Lighting designer: Jasmin Šehić
Producer: Katja Konvalinka
Photographer: Darja Štravs Tisu
From the directing concept:
“The chamber opera speaks of difference. Difference teaches and enriches us. Staging an opera with the above theme is a particular challenge and represents a small piece in the awareness of how far we still have to go in accepting difference. When we are able to accept a person, who mistakes us for a hat without judging him and defining him as a 'patient', we will surely as a community be able to move to a higher level of spiritual awakening.”
From the review:
“The direction and scenography by Eva Hribernik and Jaro Ješe ensured that the protagonists were sufficiently rounded off in terms of character and that the visual image did not feed on the aesthetics of minimalism but sought elements of the comic. A video projection stood out from the visual experience, bringing an eclectic element to the performance with changing scenes and emphasising the comic element of the opera through caricature.” (Maia Juvanc, SIGIC, 30 December 2018)