Haydn’s ‘Creation’ to feature wire, water tank and video mapping

Haydn’s legendary 1798 oratorio “The Creation” will be put on stage by La Fura dels Baus, an experimental theater troupe from Spain, at Art Center Incheon on March 1 and 2, offering both a musical and visual treat.

The production depicts the Biblical seven days of creation with visual art installations. The soloists are lifted up in the air, then submerged in a water tank, and the choristers hold up tablet computers.

 

Soprano Im Sun-hae, who will be taking to the stage in the upcoming performances, also performed in the show in June 2017 at Elbphilharmonie, a concert venue in Hamburg, Germany.

“Haydn’s ‘The Creation’ is my favorite oratorio. My first recording in German was ‘The Creation,’ too. Being attached to the piece, I agreed to take part in the production right away (at the time),” Im said at a press conference held in central Seoul on Wednesday. 

As a singer, however, Im had her doubts about the production because the emphasis seemed to be on the visual elements, rather than the music.

“Before the rehearsal, I received an email about whether I will be OK with submerging in water, if I were afraid of heights,” the soprano said.

“I asked, ‘how long I should stay up in the air, how long I would have to sing after my hair gets wet?’ If I catch a cold, I would not be able to sing at the next performance. But I also answered, ‘I am a singer who is open to adventures.’”

Arriving at the rehearsal, Im was surprised, seeing the 9-meter-high crane and 1,000-liter water tank. But she eventually understood what the Spanish troupe wanted to express with the equipment and was touched by the troupe’s consideration for the singers.

“Most of all, I was attracted by La Fura dels Baus’ adventurousness, the willingness to create a performance that had not existed before,” Im said.

Conductor Kim Sung-jin, who will be leading the upcoming Incheon performances with Camerata Antiqua Seoul and Grande Opera Chorus, expressed his excitement about the performances.

“I watched a video of the production and I could not take my eyes off of it,” Kim said.

Tickets can be reserved via online retailer Interpark. For more information, call Art Center Incheon at (032) 453-7700 or visit its website at www.aci.or.kr.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)