IDAGIO | Björk: Vespertine - A Pop Album as an Opera (Live) 4260034869783

Featuring

Matthew Toogood
Ji Yoon
Hashimoto Aki
Simon Oesch
Raymond Ayers
Orchester des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Opernchor des Nationaltheaters Mannheim
Björk Guðmundsdóttir

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

The opera's orchestrators aimed to reproduce the album's differentiated and electronic sounds using only acoustic instruments, incorporating special instruments like a West African pumpkin, sandwich paper, and glass instruments.

Composer Biography

Björk's musical education was influenced by Iceland's centuries-old song tradition and classical training, and she was introduced to 20th-century composers like Schoenberg, Messiaen, Berg, Stockhausen, and Cage.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Björk, though a solo artist, prefers not to be called a composer, viewing her music as a collaborative effort rather than the product of a solitary genius.

Composition History

This opera is a musical stage adaptation of Björk's 2001 album "Vespertine", created as a co-production between Nationaltheater Mannheim and Hotel Pro Forma.

Composer's Artistic Vision

For "Vespertine", Björk aimed to make audible things that normally escape human perception, even commissioning the experimental electronic band Matmos to find out what a catkin popping sounds like.

Interpretation

The production uses a large orchestra but forms special ensembles within it, varying from piece to piece, a technique influenced by composers like Wagner and Stravinsky.

Historical Context

Björk's album "Vespertine" was created in 2001, a time when internet access and laptops were not yet commonplace, and music streaming services like Napster and Spotify were not yet invented.