Sola Soletta
Maribeth Diggle
18/05 19/05/22
'They call me Mimì, but my true name is Lucia.' Thus opens one of the most famous opera arias of all time. We learn surprisingly little about the main character from Puccini's La bohème. Besides her love for flowers and for the poet Rodolfo, we hardly discover who she is, what she wants and what she believes in. Mimì is a metaphor, the silhouette of a woman, like many of her predecessors on the opera stage.
The opera world thrives on the often-tragic fortunes of female characters and is populated by the beloved singers who embody them. Behind the scenes, however, women are less likely to be at the helm. Surprising… or perhaps not? If women in opera are rarely portrayed as strong leaders, could that explain why they rarely hold the keys to an opera house?
The American soprano and artist Maribeth Diggle explores these and other questions about gender and opera in SOLA SOLETTA. On this occasion, she surrounds herself with a cast of unique performers and with the Argentine composer Ezequiel Menalled. His score forges lyricism, contemporary vocal techniques and live electronics together into a sensuous sound design. SOLA SOLETTA promises to be a musical theatre creation that is as critical as it is poetic.
The performance on 19 May is followed by a conversation with the makers.
Coproduction with Muziektheater Transparant
ca. 1 hour and 20 minutes
SOLA SOLETTA is a co-creation by the whole team.
The creators
Maribeth Diggle
Concept and regie
Ezequiel Menalled
Composition and electronics
Lisi Estaras
Choreography
Maribeth Diggle
Voice, actor, dancer
Lisi Estaras
Voice, actor, dancer
Remus Gesquiere
Voice, actor, dancer
Eurudike De Beul
Voice, actor, dancer
Eva Florizoone
Scenography