A mechanical opera in which visual projections, automata and music performed by robotic instruments tell the story of a universal journey.
Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift's famous work, published in 1726, tells the fantastic story of a voyager who discovers a series of strange countries. In fact, the people in those countries symbolise the evils that afflict humanity. Now, in the twenty-first century, Roland Olbeter revives the true story behind Swift’s novel: the search for the meaning of life. To do so, Olbeter builds a great theatre populated by mechanical characters in which Gulliver, the protagonist, moves in a world recreated through the original music composed by Elena Kats-Chernin, with vocals pre-recorded by leading opera singers accompanied by electro-acoustic robotic instruments performing live on stage. This wonderful machinery will narrate the story of Gulliver, an astronomer on his death-bed. The scientist dreams that he is building a ship which will take him to discover four unknown worlds. On each of these planets, he meets beings that illustrate great questions: from the submission to power to our tendency to give ourselves over to unlimited pleasure, the desire for immortality and the constant change that is implicit in living. A truly different format in which to tell a story where machines create a parallel world driven by motors and pneumatic cylinders to speak to us about the things that most concern most human beings.
Coproduction: Grec 2016 Festival de Barcelona, Miavion S.L., Bayerische Staatsoper and Teatre Nacional de Catalunya.
In cooperation as a technological partner: Festo.
Thanks to: Dr. Willfried Stoll, Heinrich Frontzek, Javier Herrero, Christoph Goldmann, Vicenç Tomàs, Jordi Domènech, Alba Duque and Francesc Grimalt.
To Gumer MartIn.
Recommended for audiences over the age of 8.
Idea, direcció i dramatúrgia: Roland Olbeter; Composició musical: Elena Kats-Chernin; Vídeo: Esterina Zarrillo; Escultor de les marionetes: Nico Nubiola; Manipulació dels titelles: Kike Blanco; Direcció musical: Carlos Fesser; Concepció Sonora : Urbez Capablo; Disseny d'il·luminació: Cube, Bz.; Vestuari: Joana Poulastrou / Estudi Chu Uroz; Traducció de l'alemany: Rosina Nogales; Interpretació: Nathalie Pierhumbert; Interpretació musical: Joan Martín-Royo (baríton), Clàudia Schneider (mezzosoprano), Antoni Comas (tenor), Carlos Fesser (baix baríton), Jordi Domènech, Toni Gubau, Oriol Rosés (contratenors), Antonio Fajardo, Néstor Pindado (baixos), Anna Barreiro, Lucía Verger i Nerea Urriza (Nanobots; cor infantil) i de l'Escola Aula de Música 7 dirigides per "scar Larios ; Col·laboració en el llibret: Silke Dörner, Christoph Goldmann, Albert Mauri i Christiane Mannini; Disseny i software de control: Urbez Capablo; Enginyeria teatral: Simeó Ubach; Ajudantia tècnica: Félix Herrero i Borja Casanovas; Enregistrament musical: Fundació Phonos-Universitat Pompeu Fabra / Lucas Ariel Vallejos; Disseny gràfic: Albert Claret; Xarxes socials: Tomàs Morató; Realització de vídeo: Dog Films; Elèctric: Carlos Jovellar; Construcció de l'escenografia: Masters; Enginyeria teatral: Simeó Ubach, José Rodriguez; Premsa: La Costa Comunicació; Distribució: Dos Orillas Cultura; Comptabilitat: Begonia Companyon; Gestió del projecte: Isabel Castellet;
