R.U.R. A Torrent of Light is the first Canadian work to win the 2023 Award for BEST NEW OPERA from the Music Critics Association of North America (MCANA). The distinction for the Tapestry Opera/OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) University co-production, announced today, was awarded to composer Nicole Lizée and librettist Nicolas Billon.
Competition for the award was stiff, particularly so given that many productions had been delayed by the pandemic. The Awards Committee of MCANA includes LvT’s own Arthur Kaptainis.
The site-specific work premiered at the Great Hall at OCAD on May 28, 2022, and dominated the Dora Awards for that year to win in six of seven categories, including:
- Outstanding Production;
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble: Maeve Palmer, Annie Ramos, Jennifer Routhier, Sofi Gudiño,
- Katherine Semchuk, Emily Spearing and Brayden Cairns;
- Outstanding New Opera: Nicole Lizée (composer) and Nicolas Billon (librettist);
- Outstanding Musical Direction: Gregory Oh;
- Outstanding Direction: Michael Hidetoshi Mori;
- Outstanding Achievement in Design: Debashis Sinha.
More than 20 artists in various media collaborated on the creative team. The MCANA Committee also specifically noted, “the striking set by Cameron Anderson and costumes by Joanna Yu incorporated retro elements that made the setting seem both futuristic and universal.”
The award-winning R.U.R. A Torrent of Lights composer and librettist are being celebrated during the MCANA annual meeting today, June 22, at the University Club of Chicago.
About the Opera
R.U.R. stands for Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti or Rossum’s Universal Robots, and is based on the sci-fi play by Czech writer Karel Čapek. The play, which premiered in 1921, was quite influential in its day; it’s the literary work credited with adding the word robot to the English language.
The Tapestry/OCAD contemporary interpretation adds a feminist slant, and pushes the action to the near future-now, where AI is inextricably entwined with everyday life. The androids that a tech company has created, however, begin to turn on them in a growing uprising of independence as the two owners of the company grapple with what to do about it.
OCAD University’s Social Body Lab helped to develop wearable tech that enhances and amplifies the performances of the singers and dancers with lighting or speakers. Other innovations created for the production include a cello bow that produces bird calls. The score uses unconventional instruments such as a typewriter to produce a futuristic soundscape.
Reactions
Both winners commented in a statement.
“For R.U.R. A Torrent of Light to be recognized with this prestigious award from MCANA is truly an honour. When Nicolas and I began our collaboration those many years ago, I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be awarded North America’s best new opera. Nic and I would like to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to Michael Mori, Tapestry Opera, and the incredible performers and creative team we had the pleasure of working with.”— composer Nicole Lizée
“R.U.R. A Torrent of Light has been a labour of love for Nicky and myself, and we are deeply honoured to have our opera recognized by MCANA with this award. We also want to acknowledge the production’s creative team for their wonderful and awe-inspiring work in bringing R.U.R. to life.” — librettist Nicolas Billon
The Awards Committee had this to say about the music:
“R.U.R. A Torrent of Light is accomplished on many levels, but we were impressed particularly by the freshness and vitality of Nicole Lizée’s score. While rooted in the minimalist tradition, the music is inventive, expressive and expertly written for the voice. Nicolas Billon’s libretto cleverly employs repetition to represent the efforts of machines to express themselves. A figure of particular interest is the android Alex. It is unusual for a non-human character to invite deep sympathy. The dilemma of Alex scans as authentically operatic.”
Congratulations to Nicole Lizée, Nicolas Billon, and the entire production team.
#LUDWIGVAN
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