In 2020 I was invited to join the cast of Ritratto. This opera is written for the Dutch National Opera by Dutch composer Willem Jeths, and was due to have its premiere on March 13, 2020.
Unfortunately this project took a dramatic turn when we heard the press conference on March 12, cancelling all cultural performances. We were to have our dress rehearsal that evening and in a crazy turn of events, we played this dress rehearsal anyway! Without an audience, but with a camera crew ready to record this masterpiece. It then had it’s digital premiere -with over 75.000 views!- and that was it.
… Or was it?
With amazing luck we all were asked to reshape the piece, make it corona-proof (with distancing and other precautions in place) and perform it only a couple months later, in October of 2020. And after a fews weeks of rehearsals we went ahead! After three shows the run was sadly cancelled due to Corona AGAIN, but this time we at least got to give this piece to audience members live.
Ritratto would continue to get rave reviews and the BBC rewarded the CD of Ritratto 5 stars and a Best in Opera release recommendation.
