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When Montreal-based composer Jaap Nico Hamburger first read Dutch author Ariëlla Kornmehl’s debut novel De Familie Goldwasser (The Goldwasser Family) in the early aughts, he thought to himself, “this is opera.” Now, many years after that initial inspiration and over a decade since he began composing, he is finally seeing his vision come to life.
On Oct. 22 (Koerner Hall), Oct. 28 (Maison symphonique), and Oct. 29 (Salle Raoul-Jobin), GFN Productions will present excerpts from Hamburger’s first opera Ariella, paired with Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The tour will be conducted by Francis Choinière and features the Ensemble Classico-Moderne and vocalists Aline Kutan, Myriam Leblanc, Eric Laporte, and Enzo Sabbagha.
While Ariella may be a coming-of-age story, in Hamburger’s words, it also “touches on a whole slew of universal topics that I think are relevant to most people.” Thomas Beijer’s libretto follows the journey of a young Orthodox Jewish woman as she processes the loss of her mother, falls in love across cultural lines, and navigates the mental-health struggles of her loved ones. The story draws on a wealth of sources including Kornmehl’s body of work, Hamburger’s global travels, and his work with members of the military suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, during his decades-long career as a physician.
Prolific as both an orchestral and chamber composer, this is the Dutch-born composer’s first time writing for the operatic stage. “Writing for orchestra is one thing, but writing for the human voice is on a different planet,” he says. Daunted by the knowledge that there is “nowhere to hide” when writing for the voice, Hamburger had the benefit of workshopping Ariella with the resident artists of the Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique. He recalled this as having been a rigorous week spent revising the vocal writing to better suit the needs of the singers. He often stayed up through the night to rewrite arias so they could be ready for further feedback in the next day’s rehearsal.
Even as he steps into a new genre, Hamburger is unafraid of experimentation. Instead of writing a traditional aria for Ariella’s teenage brother, the character performs a rap in his starring moment. For Hamburger, this was the musical choice that felt truest for the character. “An 18-year-old struggling with guilt is not singing a Puccini aria,” he explained.
There are plans for a hybrid cinematic-concert version of Ariella, in which some characters appear on screen above the orchestra in a pre-recorded film, while others sing live on stage. Hamburger is hopeful that innovations like these will entice younger audiences to try out a night at the opera.
After years of writing, rewriting, and pandemic delays, Ariella is finally here. When asked how he feels, knowing that audiences will soon be hearing his score for the first time, Hamburger laughs. “Are you kidding me?,” he replies. “What else does a composer want than for the music to be played? I’m so grateful! I’m so happy!”
Ariella
Oct. 22 (Koerner Hall, Toronto)
Oct. 28 (Maison symphonique, Montreal)
Oct. 29 (Salle Raoul-Jobin, Quebec city)
www.jaaphamburger.com
www.gfnproductions.ca
Playlist
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
