Exploring Jiu Jitsu and Kafka in Zurich Opera House’s Premiere of “America” by Roman Haubenstock-Ramati

Even Jiu Jitsu appears in Kafka’s novel. And now of course also on stage. “It’s interesting that this was already in Kafka’s mind at the time…” she says. And does Mojca Erdmann also fight…? “Yes,” she laughs, “at least that’s how it should look… what’s important is that it matches the sound exactly and we have to be very careful that no one gets hurt.”

The many short scenes that have to form a unity in “America” are also a real challenge. “There are 25 scenes in 95 minutes, some are just a minute and a half long. You don’t have more time to portray a character or a situation. This requires incredible precision. I also have some spoken passages and it was useful that our director Sebastian Baumgarten often stages plays. So he told me: don’t go down with your voice at the end of a phrase, stay up to fill the space until the next phrase. I think it’s great to get influences from many different sides, to develop and learn new things. It’s just a great group here! There are also chants that you can hear murmured from 80 loudspeakers and whose sound floats in the room. This creates a very eerie atmosphere, even with the lighting… you feel like you’re in a horror film!”

So really Kafkaesque? “Yes, exactly,” laughs Erdmann, “and I think the music fits this material well.”

From Baroque to Romanticism to New Music

How do you learn such a complex role with foreign music? “My advantage is that I have perfect pitch, which makes it easier. But of course still: repeat, repeat, repeat… When I’m learning, I help direct myself so that I know: where to use it, how long I should wait until the next phrase and repeat until it fits. By the way, I didn’t think I’d have a catchy tune in this piece, but it’s actually in it!”

New music is an important part of their repertoire, but of course not the only one. «In December in Turin I sang pieces by Chausson under the direction of Philippe Jordan, or ‘Dialogue des Carmelites’, ‘Lulu’, Vitellia in ‘La clemenza di Tito’ or Elsa in ‘Lohengrin’. Last year Bach and Pergolesi, from Baroque to Romanticism and Mozart to contemporary.” And what does she like best? “The mixture! I love the challenge and am happy to keep discovering new musical territory.”

Mojca Erdmann was born in Hamburg, she lived in Berlin for a while and now lives in Switzerland. «Yes, in Männedorf! Already for 14 years. Zurich has always fascinated me and now I won’t leave.”

Zurich Opera House
“America” by Roman Haubenstock-Ramati
Premieres March 3, 2024
www.opernhaus.ch

2024-03-02 16:29:20
#Adventure #trip #music