Opera performance by Agon Orchestra based on Kafka's famous short story. Part of the New Music Marathon.
Wednesday, December 14, 8pm at the Archa Theatre, Prague.

"The invitation to the execution
I accepted out of courtesy.
In the penal colony
I am a guest."

The opera, inspired by Franz Kafka’s famous story, was created in 2000 on the basis of the libreto by Rudolph Wurlitzer (screen-writer for the films Little Buddha and Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid among others).
Philip Glass (b. 1937) is one of the most famous American composers. His five-hour minimalist opera with director Robert Wilson, Einstein on the Beach, shocked the theatre world in the 70’s and made him famous. In addition to operas and theatrical scores Philip Glass intensively produces symphonies, chamber music, and soundtracks to such films as Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi; and Stephen Daldry’s The Hours. Recently Prague’s National Theatre staged his opera Beauty and the Beast while his Fall of the House of Usher appeared at the Czech State Opera; both were performed by Agon Orchestra under the direction of Petr Kofroň.
The Archa Theatre presented Fall of the House of Usher in 1997 and 1998. In March of 1996 Archa hosted a memorable Glass concert in which Allen Ginsberg took part.
During his visits to Prague, Glass had written In the Penal Colony and he considered Archa to be the ideal space for this opera.
The opera premiered on August 31, 2000 at ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) in Seattle, which is very similar to Archa in its design. But the Prague presentation will differ quite a bit from the JoAnne Akalaitis’ version at ACT--her concept was more dramatic; this presentation will be more oriented towards a multi-media performance.
The opera uses an all-male cast consisting of a baritone, a tenor, and parts for two non-speaking actors.

Director: Miroslav Bambušek, video: Jaroslav Svoboda, costumes: Zuzana Krejzková. Czech Translation: Dana Hábová. Cast: officer – Jiří Hájek (baritone), traveller – James Clark (tenor), soldier – Miloslav Mejzlík , condemned – Karel Dobrý. Agon Orchestra conducted by Petr Kofroň

Society for New Music in cooperation with the Archa Theatre, supported by the Czech Culture Fund and the Czech Ministry of Culture. Organized with the City of Prague. Main partner: British American Tobacco Czech Republic

Presentation in English with Czech titles.

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Archa Theatre
Na Poříčí 26, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
Tel.: +420 221 716 111
Fax: +420 221 716 666
e-mail: archa@archatheatre.cz