What drives the opera forward is Ruders’s compelling, eclectic score, with its enviable range of orchestral resources so well deployed, evoking terror, pity, fear, and just occasionally love.
- Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph
The Handmaid’s Tale by composer Poul Ruders and librettist Paul Bentley comes to San Francisco Opera with seven performances from September 14 to October 1, 2024. Based on the landmark novel by Margaret Atwood, this intense opera gives voice to a terrifying, fictional world. Co-produced with The Royal Danish Theatre, this new production is directed by John Fulljames and conducted by Karen Kamensek; the cast features mezzo-soprano Irene Roberts as Offred, Lindsay Ammann as Serena Joy, soprano Sarah Cambidge as Aunt Lydia, and John Relyea as The Commander.
Ruders' highly original and eclectic score draws on medieval, baroque, and gospel music, which all enhance its narrative drive. This production captures the dissonant brutality of the Republic of Gilead, where human fertility is waning, and the "Handmaids" who are still fertile are kept as breeding slaves. Terror is a daily reality for Handmaid Offred, who defies the regime, refusing to surrender her identity and independence.
The opera's critical exploration of themes such as human rights, democracy, and environmental degradation remains as relevant today as ever, offering audiences profound insights into the dark world of Gilead and human nature.
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