ÁSTIN EIN TAUGAHRÚGA, ENGINN DANS VIÐ UFSAKLETT

“Love, a nervous wreck. No dancing at Coalfish Rock” is a concert performance of a new chamber opera for mezzo-soprano and cello by Anna Halldórsdóttir, written to the poetry of Elísabet Jökulsdóttir from her book Ástin ein taugahrúga, enginn dans við Ufsklett (Love a nervous wreck, no dance at Ufsaklettur).

How much do you sacrifice to be able to belong? To be a part of something?

The performance is a coming of age story of a woman and a fight between dream and the reality. This fight is mirrored in a violent relationship from beginning to end and we wonder: what is it that makes you a “real woman” - and where lies the key to it all?

The protagonist has bipolar which colours the story and the outcome is a rollercoaster ride between ecstasy and deep depression. But whether the character is on top or at the bottom, the humour is never far away.

Elísabet Jökulsdóttir's book got a strong reaction when it was first published an it received The women's literature prize in 2015 and was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize.

Anna Halldórsdóttir´s music brings a new dimension to the text and is both catchy and accessible. You could say that the music could appeal to a large group of people whether they're seasoned opera-lovers or completely new to the genre.

ARTISTS

Voice: Tinna Þorvalds Önnudóttir
Cellist: Júlía Mogensen
Composer: Anna Halldórsdóttir
Text: Elísabet Jökulsdóttir
Director: Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir
Producer: Arna Kristín Sigfúsdóttir
Tech and light design: Juliette Louste

PERFORMANCES

Mengi, Reykjavík. February 10th and 17th 2023.

This project us funded by Tónskáldasjóður RÚV og STEF, Tónskáldasjóður Bylgjan and Stöð 2 , Menningarsjóður FÍH Félag íslenskra hljómlistarmanna, Samfélagssjóður Landsbankinn and Launasjóður tónlistarflytjenda at RANNÍS