PASSION

Austrian premiere

Pascal Dusapin’ opera Passion, which premiered in Aix-en-Provence in 2008, delves into interpersonal relationships. The characters Lui (He) and Lei (She) become enmeshed in an eternal love song, navigating the fine line between passion and obsession. The intimate scene is further enriched by Gli altri, the “others”, who comment on the central events like madrigals and also serve as Lui’s inner voice.

Directed by Ursula Horner, Passion becomes a play with a tragic ending. The Vienna-born director emphasizes the pathological aspects of a love affair in her production, focusing specifically on the underlying causes of such intense emotions. “Passion is derived from the Latin word ‘passio’, which means ‘suffering’ or ‘illness’. In our parlance, it is also used for a passion that is difficult to control.” However, Horner also emphasises: “Any violence within a relationship cannot and must not be explained, there is no excuse for it.”

In 2019, The Guardian newspaper listed Dusapin’s sixth opera Passion among the 15 best musical works of art of the 21st century. Sensitive harpsichord sounds underline the dissonant, hypnotising textures in Dusapin’s score and subtly allude to French Baroque music. With austere beauty and luminous sound, Dusapin brings together the emotional and physical experiences of Lei and Lui in a musical pas de deux.

The introductory talk will take place at 18:15.

Presented by: Neue Oper Wien