ERWARTUNG (ITXARONALDIA)

In June 2021, as part of the programme linked to “The Roaring Twenties” exhibition, the Arriaga Theatre presented a concert of this gem of Schönberg, performed by the extraordinary soprano Ausrine Stundyte. Now, recapturing that show, we offer this opera with a very special staging by Calixto Bieito. It should be remembered that Ausrine Stundyte already captivated Bilbao audiences in 2019 when she sang the wonderful Mendi-Mendiyan by Usandizaga in Basque, an Arriaga Theatre production directed by Calixto Bieito. And recently, hers was considered one of the star performances at the Max Awards gala.

“The idea is to represent in slow motion everything that happens during a single second of maximum spiritual excitation, extending it to half an hour”. This was Arnold Schönberg’s own concise description of his opera Erwartung (The Wait). In the powerful voice of the Lithuanian soprano Ausrine Stundyte we find this Schönberg who is already moving towards 12-tone composition. Atonal and dissonant, but full of expressionist textures and with extraordinary strength. It should be remembered that Ausrine Stundyte already captivated Bilbao audiences in 2019 by singing in Basque the wonderful Mendi-Mendiyan by Usandizaga, Arriaga Theatre production directed by Calixto Bieito.

Throughout history many authors have tried to define the music of Erwartung, to portray this work by Schönberg that narrates, or perhaps describes the nocturnal journey of a woman searching for her lover in a forest in the middle of the night. Ghostly figures intertwine in the gloom, the cloak of night shrouds the uncertainty of the protagonist desperately searching for her lover while the shadow of misfortune looms over her.

Is it that way? I can’t see the path…
How silvery the trees glow!
Like birch! Oh, our garden!
The flowers that I cut must have withered.
How warm the night is…I am scared!

Performance with subtitles in Basque and Spanish.

DOWNLOAD LIBRETO