Sola Soletta redefines femininity in opera

Thu, May 12, 2022

Sola Soletta 1200 800 LQ 4

KATHERINA LINDEKENS: Why did you choose Mimì as a source of inspiration for SOLA SOLETTA?

You play and sing in SOLA SOLETTA, and at the same time it is your first own performance. How do you like this new role?

MARIBETH DIGGLE: The realisation that I am not only a performer but also a maker came rather late. When I moved to Germany after my studies to work in the opera circuit, I was quite unhappy about it. While replacing one sick soprano after another, I couldn't shake off the impression that ten others could do the same in my place. I felt interchangeable, there was little room for creative input. I often ended up in hierarchical constellations where authoritarian directors ruled the roost. That model was strange to me, as I had previously gained experience in contemporary dance. There, it is obvious that performers are also creative partners, who feed the project with their own individuality. Gradually, I realised that I wanted to return to that basis. I think it is crucial to shape the performance in dialogue with the other performers and with the whole team. Everyone's contribution counts for me. La bohème is one of the most beautiful works in the history of opera, but I have always found the character of Mimì problematic. We know very little about her. Why is she called Mimì when her real name is Lucia? Who is she when she is alone, sola, in her room? She makes flowers, but would never call herself an artist - unlike the male characters, who boast titles like poet or philosopher. Today, this rather poor representation of women and their potential is increasingly being questioned. In our performance, we ask ourselves what the consequences of that image might be, both behind the scenes of the opera industry and in the outside world. It is high time to show more women who are leaders and heroes, who can save themselves. For all these reasons, I wanted to reinvent Mimì.

Sola Soletta 1200 800 LQ 2

You play and sing in SOLA SOLETTA, and at the same time it is your first own performance. How do you like this new role?

The realisation that I am not only a performer but also a maker came rather late. When I moved to Germany after my studies to work in the opera circuit, I was quite unhappy about it. While replacing one sick soprano after another, I couldn't shake off the impression that ten others could do the same in my place. I felt interchangeable, there was little room for creative input. I often ended up in hierarchical constellations where authoritarian directors ruled the roost. That model was strange to me, as I had previously gained experience in contemporary dance. There, it is obvious that performers are also creative partners, who feed the project with their own individuality. Gradually, I realised that I wanted to return to that basis. I think it is crucial to shape the performance in dialogue with the other performers and with the whole team. Everyone's contribution counts for me.

For SOLA SOLETTA, you have gathered a unique cast. How did you find these people?

I wanted to look at the concept of femininity through a prism, as a multiplicity of perspectives. That's why we have a four-person cast on stage, representing multiple generations. The first person is Lisi Estaras, a dancer with a characterful, low voice. Then there is mezzo-soprano Eurudike De Beul, who brings tons of personality, humour and life experience. Finally, there will also be a child in the performance, a boy. You cannot see the thought experiment on the future of women separately from a new generation of men. The theme also concerns them. On that front, composer Ezequiel Menalled, who is responsible for the music and live electronics of SOLA SOLETTA, has been a valuable discussion partner for years.

Sola Soletta 1200 800 LQ 1

What do you hope to achieve with this performance?

I mainly hope that the audience will take something away from it. That opera lovers might see Mimì in a new light during a subsequent Bohème. And I want them to know that they too can make their voices heard. That they can ask things of a house. That they can say, for example: we want to see more female makers, more new voices, more people of colour.

And other stories?

Absolutely. I expect a lot from a new generation of makers who are fully exploring what they admire in opera, and who are at the same time reforming the genre from within. There are limits to what you can achieve by giving the iron repertoire a new look. The 'museum' is there, and it is invaluable. But now we have to see how many people can enter, what stories we want to tell, and how we can expand the collection. Only in this way can opera really live on.

Sola Soletta 1200 800 LQ 5

Images: ByWM

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