A must-see world premiere: George Orwell’s timeless classic about a fight for freedom doomed to failure. Orwell wrote Animal Farm as a contemporaneous cautionary parable, highlighting how easy it was for the Russian revolution to degenerate into Stalin’s violent dictatorship. The warning in Orwell’s political satire remains relevant today. 'All animals are equal but some are more equal than others' – the world news keeps offering up subtle variations on the same theme.
Literary masterpiece
Damiano Michieletto had always dreamt of adapting Animal Farm, with its powerful characterisations and surprising twists and turns, for the opera stage. In Alexander Raskatov, the perfect composer for his dream project was found. Raskatov himself is no stranger to adapting fiction to opera. In 2010, he adapted the literary masterpiece A Dog’s Heart, creating a compelling and fiery musical piece that was unlike any other. In Animal Farm, Raskatov also incorporates his own allusions to Russia’s fraught political history.
Bassem Akiki conducts the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
This staging of Animal Farm will see Dutch tenor Marcel Beekman and contralto Helena Rasker return to the stage of Dutch National Opera, as well as baritone Misha Kiria (Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2018), who is an ideal fit for the grim-comic role of Napoleon – the autocratic pig. They are joined in the pit by the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of up-and-coming Lebanese-Polish conductor Bassem Akiki, who has achieved international acclaim with his interpretations of both the classical repertoire as well as contemporary operas.
Performance information
Opera in two acts, nine scenes and an epilogue - sung in English
Libretto Ian Burton
Musical direction Bassem Akiki
Stage direction Damiano Michieletto
Set Paolo Fantin
Costumes Klaus Bruns
Lighting Alessandro Carletti
Choreography Thomas Wilhelm
Dramaturgy Wout van Tongeren, Luc Joosten
Old Major Gennady Bezzubenkov
Napoleon Misha Kiria
Snowball Michael Gniffke
Squiller James Kryshak
Boxer Germán Olvera
Benjamin Karl Laquit
Minimus Artyom Krutko
Clover Helena Rasker
Muriel Maya Gour*
Blacky Elena Vassilieva
Mollie NN
Pigetta (young actress) Karl Laquit
Mr. Jones Marcel Beekman
Mrs. Jones Francis van Broekhuizen
*De Nationale Opera Studio
Orchestra Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Chorus Chorus of Dutch National Opera
Chorus master Edward Ananian-Cooper
Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor (part of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam)
Rehearsals children’s chorus Anaïs de la Morandais
Composition and co-production by Dutch National Opera, Wiener Staatsoper and Teatro Massimo (Palermo)
