Dusapin, Passion, Southbank Centre

Pascal Dusapin’s Passion is described as a work for voice and body, that is, an opera where dance plays an integral part.

Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus, the musician who entered the underworld in search of his dead lover, Eurydice, it explores love, loss and desire with a contemporary twist – here it’s Eurydice, not Orpheus, who asks to be followed.

The French contemporary composer Pascal Dusapin is a prolific music maker of solo, chamber, orchestral and choral works, as well as opera. A disciple of Xenakis, his music is microtonal and he shuns electronics, together with many of the traditional orchestra instruments.

Passion’s haunting, sensuous score relies primarily on harpsichord and Arabic oud, and will be performed by the London Sinfonietta, Britain’s foremost interpreters of contemporary music. Along with the vocal ensemble EXAUDI, the London Sinfonietta are associates of this co-production between Music Theatre Wales (MIT) and National Dance Company Wales (NDCW).

The Cardiff-based NDCW is a young and vibrant company with a versatile repertoire, that tours extensively and seeks to engage with audiences in all kinds of performing spaces, from small provincial halls to the Royal Opera House’s new Linbury Theatre. Six NDCW dancers perform in Passion.

The sung roles of the lovers are performed by the award-winning baritone Johnny Herford and the soprano Jennifer France. Herford’s extensive repertoire ranges from the classics to contemporary works and he is a regular performer with MIT.

Jennifer France is a young British award-winning coloratura soprano, whose repertoire has lately concentrated on contemporary work, including creating a role in George Benjamin’s Lessons in Love and Violence at the Royal Opera last season.

The London Sinfonietta is conducted by Geoffrey Paterson.

This production of Passion is directed by Michael McCarthy of MIT and Caroline Finn of NDCW.

Pre-show talk: Sat, 13 Oct 6:30pm, QEH – Led by Michael McCarthy, with Pascal Dusapin and Caroline Finn