Reise der Hoffnung - Journey of Hope

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FEDORA
GENERALI
Prize for Opera 2019
Shortlist

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Jury
Nominee

12 / 08

Reise der Hoffnung - Journey of Hope

Germany
Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

VOTING CLOSED

Reise der Hoffnung - Journey of Hope © Jimmy Larkin, free i

Presentation

„Journey of Hope“ is inspired by the eponymous Swiss film by Xavier Koller which won the Academy Award (Oscar) for best foreign film in 1991. The film is based on a tragic accident which happened on the Swiss-Italian border in 1988.

An Alevite family in Turkey was setting out for a better life in Switzerland, but lost their 7 year old son in a storm while trying to cross the alpine border illegally.

German composer Christian Jost and Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó will turn the story of the film into a parable, by means of taking it away from realism, and focusing instead on hope, inner conflicts and emotions.

They have invented a strict musical triptych structure.

Act 1 will focus on the hopes of the migrating family. Musically the hopes will be structured by the bright colors of a Violin concerto in the orchestral part.

Act 2 will depict the journey from Turkey to Naples and the Italian-Swiss border. The underlying musical structure will be that of a percussion concerto. Percussive beats evoke the excitement, monotony and constant movement of a journey to a bright new life.

Act 3 will focus on the alpine tragedy in the mood of a Requiem by means of a trumpet concerto conveying the violence of the snow storm as well as the mourning of lament.