Director Kairis staged Claire van Kampen’s comedy “Farinelli and the King,” which will be a splendid baroque period drama about the nature of music and love.
Introducing the content of the show, Vārpiņa points out that at the center is the deranged king of Spain, Philip V. He has become a danger to his country, his people. He even attacks his loving wife Isabella.
The only thing that saves everyone from the madness of the king is the arrival of the world famous singer Farinelli and his heavenly voice. For a time, the music saves the king, the kingdom and even the royal wedding. It would have been a happy ending, if only the queen herself loved the castrato Farinelli as much as the king loved his music.
In the production, the role of the king is played by actor Įrts Ķesteris, his wife Izabella Farnezi is played by Rēzija Kalniņa. Artūrs Skrastiņš and the soloist Rūdis Cebulis instead interpret Farinelli, to whom the musical consultant of the show Juris Vaivods and the director Kairišs have entrusted the singing of delicately baroque pieces by George Fridrich Handel accompanied by harp and cello.
Actors Kaspars Dumburs, Juris Bartkevičs, Artūrs Kaļčis in the role of a child also take part in the show. On stage, next to the actors, there is another important element of the performance: a horse, whose symbolic message is profoundly important in the production. It is a puppet specially commissioned for this show in South Africa, led by actor Kārlis Arnolds Avots, Matīss Millers and Mārtiņš Gailis.
The author of the costumes of the show is Kristīne Jurjāne, set designer – Reinis Suhanovs, lighting designer – Yevgēnijs Gansburgs, choreographer – Jana Jacukas and assistant to the choreographer – Marija Saveiko. Musicians – Ieva Shablovska and Dace Zālīte-Zilberte.
The show was supposed to premiere on Friday, but due to a cast member’s illness, it was moved to Sunday.
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