Juliet Fraser & Mark Knoop
Øyvind Torvund: Plans for Future Operas (2023)

Øyvind Torvund is one of Norway’s most creative composers, with a truly distinctive voice. In this piece, the audience is presented with a series of ambitious plans for operas that are impossible to realise, often featuring ideas that defy the laws of physics and acoustics. Many of the concepts revolve around communication with the past, with people in other rooms, and even across different dimensions.

The plans are presented as drawings and sketches, supplemented with simple animations and text projected onto a screen. The live music consists of a soprano accompanied by piano or keyboard, expanded with pre-recorded material and electronics. The expression is intentionally open-ended and unfinished, with the sketch as the primary form—leaving the final result as much in the audience’s imagination as in the concert hall.

Soprano Juliet Fraser specialises in the intricate edges of contemporary classical music. Internationally recognised as an engaged interpreter of new music, she frequently appears as a guest soloist with ensembles such as Musikfabrik, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Modern, Remix, Talea, and Quatuor Bozzini. She also performs as a duo with pianist Mark Knoop and remains a core member of the EXAUDI vocal ensemble, which she co-founded with composer/conductor James Weeks in 2002.
julietfraser.co.uk

Pianist and conductor Mark Knoop is renowned for his versatility and virtuosity. His work with living composers, as well as his individual interpretations of standard and 20th-century repertoire, has received widespread acclaim. In addition to solo performances, he regularly appears with the ensembles Plus-Minus and Apartment House, as well as in duo performances with Juliet Fraser.
markknoop.com