We need more labradors.*
*The world is full of blind people. They don’t see us dignified in our love.
- Jeanette Winterson
In this operatic pastiche a servant girl’s queer tenderness triumphs patriarchy. In reality, a relentless soprano conquers the 293729th convention she’s expected to fulfill.
The countess and her confidante—a relationship that’s inspired countless stories. In opera, these character types come with their own conventions: maids are sharp-witted, mistresses are emotional. But do they have dreams beyond their roles in the plot? In We need more labradors*, we not only poke fun at the patriarchy—in good 18th-century satirical fashion—but we also urge this classic female duo to pursue their dreams for real.
Credits
Performers – Annelies Deweerdt, Adelaide Ouwerkerk, Suzanne Charité, Bohdan Zavhorodny, Nathan van Doorn, Julie Fraiture
Pianist – Martien Maas/ Frédérique Lande
Director– Annerieke Groen, Loreleen Deweerdt
Costume – ‘t Atelier, Marilin Caracas
Images – Anna Brinkers
Production – Loreleen Deweerdt
Programme
Spiel ich die Unschuld vom Lande
Adele/Die Fledermaus/J. Strauss Jr.
Che imbarazzo è mai questo … Crudel! Perché finora
Susanna/Le Nozze di Figaro/W.A. Mozart
Tutto ancor non ho perso … Via resti servita, Madama brillante
Susanna/Le Nozze di Figaro/W.A. Mozart
Una donna a quindici anni
Despina/Così fan tutte/W.A. Mozart
Thanks to these lonesome vales
Belinda/Dido and Aeneas/H. Purcell
Laurie’s Song
Laurie Moss/The Tender Land/A. Copland
Cosa mi narri … Sull’ aria
Susanna/Le Nozze di Figaro/W.A. Mozart
Deh, vieni alla finestra
Don Giovanni/Don Giovanni/W.A. Mozart
Stizzoso, mio stizzoso
Serpina/La serva padrona/G.B. Pergolesi
J’ai fait un rêve des plus doux
Dardané/La rencontre imprévue/C.W. Gluck
Ah perdona al primo affetto
Sevilia/La clemenza di Tito/W.A Mozart
Speellijst
Tilburg – Fontys Academy of the Arts – 31/05/2024
Eindhoven – Muziekgebouw – 06/06/2024
Sint-Agatha-Berchem – GC De Kroon – 22/08/2024
Utrecht – Tivoli Vredenburg – 25/10/2024
Duration: 45 min (on demand)
Language: German, English, French, Italian