Asko Schönberg Light Of Lesser Days

Photography top Anna van Kooij

Opera Performance

De Theatermachine performed the scene and lighting design for the opera ‘Light Of Lesser Days’ in collaboration with the composer Oscar Bettison. We have worked with great pleasure on this special project.

The Anglo-American composer Oscar Bettison, wrote this opera for Asko|Schönberg. The world premiere took place on September 8 2021 in Tivoli Vredenburg during the Gaudeamus festival. It is a theatrical opera performance about two characters who are locked in a bare room and travel to fantastic and sometimes improbable places by imagination.

Photography down Theatermachine

Book of colours

Oscar Bettison was inspired by, among other things, the book, Nomenclature of colours. The color descriptions are incredibly poetic, according to Oscar. “They’re an invitation to the imagination, and that’s what the piece is about.”

Oscar did not want to explain too much to the public about this piece. Spherical and abstract images, together with the music and singing, create a world in which the audience can give their own fantasy and imagination, the leading role.


Credits

Composition and stage direction: Oscar Bettison

Lighting design: Theatermachine Floriaan Ganzevoort and Isabel Nielen
Team: Floriaan Ganzevoort, Isabel Nielen, Mike Evers, Benno Barends, Wael Quadrieh and Lichtwerk

Orchestra: Asko|Schönberg
Conductor: Clark Rundell
Soprano: Katrien Baerts
mezzo-soprano: Barbara Kozelj

sound design: Arne Bock