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Thierry Pécou Leads Ensemble Variances in the World Premiere of his Opera, Stalker

May. 31, 2024

Thierry Pécou's opera Stalker was premiered from May 22 to 31 at the St-Ouen Abbey Church in Rouen, and other locations throughout Normandy as part of the "Normandie Impressionniste and Curieux Printemps" Festival. The production featured original staging by Jean-Christophe Blondel, costumes by Sonia Bosc, set design by Olga Kisseleva, and choreography by Céline Pradeu.

Pécou chose the dystopian science fiction novel of the same title by the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugazki from 1971 as the basis for his new work. The film adaptation by director Andrei Tarkovsky, released eight years later, became world-famous, moving far away from the original novel, breaking up the chronology of the plot and emphasising other themes. Pécou's musical theater adaptation of Stalker is also based on Tarkovsky's film, although he condensed the plot and added philosophical interludes and ironic humor from the Strugazki brothers' book. The role of Stalker was performed by Anne Warthmann.

The composer notes:

"In Stalker, I had the idea of conceiving a new genre of opera, one that breaks away from traditional lyrical theater and turns to a more fragmented form. At the center is the search for the function of space and time. The audience is no longer positioned in front of the action, but will be transported into an immersive flow of sound as they wander. While Stalker is traveling through different living spaces, the scenes alternate between proximity and distance. Acoustic clarity is ensured by an audio headset system, which is made available to all viewers."

Listen to Thierry Pécou's Méditation sur la fin de l'espèce (2017):
Thierry Pécou/Méditation sur la fin de l'espèce/David Louwerse, cello/Ensemble Variances/
Thierry Pécou, conductor

To learn more about Thierry Pécou, visit schott-music.com.

Thierry Pécou
Stalker (2024)
chamber opera
based on the film by Andrei Tarkovsky
Stalker (doubling tibetian singing bowls), tenor
Professor (doubling tibetian singing bowl), baritone
Ecrivain (doubling tibetian singing bowl), bass
clarinet, saxophone, violin, piano and electronics
80' 

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