St Kilda: A European Opera returns to the stage
24 November 2008
18 months after St Kilda: A European Opera was performed live around Europe, the project is back on the road. The Belgian production, having recently been resurrected and performed in Mons (Belgium), is set to wow audiences in Grenoble (France) later this week.
St Kilda: A European Opera was a major Gaelic arts project lead by Pròiseact nan Ealan. The international co-production was originally performed on 22 and 23 June 2007 in five European venues simultaneously: France (Valenciennes); Belgium (Mons); Germany (Düsseldorf); Austria (Hallstatt) and Scotland (Stornoway), linked by live satellite connection to St Kilda and webcast live on the BBC.
Since then, the project has won the Best Traditional Event at the Scottish Events Awards, and the Scottish production (Mac Talla nan Eun) was shown on the BBC. Now the Belgian production (L' Île des Hommes-Oiseaux) is back on stage.
The Belgian production was based on the same shared script, score, libretto and pre-filmed footage as the other productions, but presents its own distinct interpretation of each of these. It was directed by Thierry Poquet and stars Gaelic singer and actor, Alyth MacCormack.
Alyth said "I am delighted to back working on the St Opera again. It can be disappointing as an artist when you have put such hard work into getting a new production off the ground you don't get to re-visit it. I was delighted, therefore, when the team in Mons said they wanted to stage the Opera again as it is a very powerful work and deserves to be seen by more people. I loved being part of it first time round. The fact it is been staged again in Mons to sell out audiences means the show can travel and therefore has a future. Language is not an issue; it is the heart of the story and the strength of the production that wins.
“All the artists involved whether French, Belgian or Scottish are very supportive of the show and fascinated by the story of these people. I'm proud to be part of telling that story."
The production was performed in La Manége, Mons, from 19th – 21st November 2008 and is to reach yet more audiences when it is performed as part of the 38e Rugissants Festival in Grenoble, France at the end of this month. The festival is celebrating its 20th year anniversary with the theme “Compose the World”, through which it is exploring traditions from home and afar, and man’s relationship with a given territory. It is easy to see why the St Kilda Opera with its focus on the land and the people and the relationship between the two, fits the themes this festival. The opera will be performed in the Grand Theatre, Grenoble on 28th November.
And if Belgium and France aren’t far enough, St Kilda: L' Île des Hommes-Oiseaux will also be in Casablanca (Africa) at the beginning of 2009. The new performance dates demonstrate the truly trans-national element of the project, the idea for which was originally brought to Pròiseact nan Ealan by a Frenchman. “It’s great to see Gaelic on an International stage,” commented Calum Maclean, Director of Pròiseact nan Ealan who lead the project. “The St Kilda story continues to fascinate audiences worldwide, and the success of the Belgian production is proof of that. We are pleased to be able to take the Gaelic language so far afield and to reach so many new audiences with this incredible production. We look forward to the many exciting developments we have in the pipeline for the St Kilda Project over the next year, including involvement with Homecoming Scotland 2009”.
