Reyk­javik Op­era Days: mother­:­land

Hear the voice of the Icelandic mother echoing through the ages, drawing you deeper and deeper into the secret hiding places of her heart, where each note is a thread in a delicate web of complex emotions, and the lines between sleeping and waking, dream and nightmare, love and loss are blurred.

In this unique production, Icelandic soprano Rannveig Káradóttir and Scottish-American pianist Mairi Grewar push the boundaries of the traditional art-song recital far beyond the confines of the concert hall, creating a living tableau.

The simple yet effective staging, paired with dynamic lighting reflecting the atmosphere of the poems, transforms the stage, creating an unforgettable entity that breathes new life into many of Iceland’s most beloved art songs. Amongst more well-known pieces, nestles a world premiere of a mesmerising lullaby by Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson, setting a peaceful poem by Margrét Jónsdóttir.

Participants
Rannveig Káradóttir, soprano
Mairi Grewar, pianist