Page 74 - FINAL_Theatre of Sound Coverage Book

had dementia and will know what caring for them entails. The story of Bluebeard – despite
usually being centred around an abusive relationship – really lends itself to this new concept
devised by Stephen and Daisy and I think it will be incredibly moving for everyone involved
[Bullock and Finley pictured right by Michaela Bodlovic].
The intimacy of this chamber production for six virtuosic musicians from London Sinfonietta is
also going to be a wonderful experience for us as singers. We will be able to articulate our
emotions to audiences only metres away rather than having a huge number of musicians in the
pit. I’ve also been amazed at how Stephen’s orchestration doesn’t lose any of the score’s impact
or power. This intimacy works incredibly well with the dramatic ideas of the story and is an
important aspect of what Stephen and Daisy are trying to do in forming Theatre of Sound. They
don’t want there to be a division between stage and pit and instead want to create an intensity
and closeness between performers and audience that is not always possible in larger scale
operatic performances. It is going to be a very unique experience for me and hopefully for our
audiences too.

Gerald Finley, baritone

The culmination of pairing Bartók’s powerful music with the intimacy of this unique retelling -
through the lens of dementia within a performance space where we will never be more than three
metres away from the audience – is almost overwhelming.
Encountering Bartók’s music in its full form is greatly powerful and awe-inspiring within any
context but in this much more domestic setting I think people are going to be absolutely
compelled by the power of the intimacy. It will resonate I’m sure with so many whose lives have
been touched by the impact of dementia.
Bluebeard is one of the best baritone roles that one could hope for and I’ve enjoyed performing
the role on a number of occasions including a production I did for the Metropolitan Opera in New
York, the preparation for which was when Theatre of Sound co-founder Stephen Higgins and I
first started working on the piece. I am completely dazzled by the ideas involved in this
completely unique version as it speaks so directly to how dementia cuts through so many
people’s lives, and with devastating effects. I am astounded by its relevance and also how
accurately it blends with Bartók’s music. The score becomes re-ignited in this context. Despite its
‘reduction’, the chamber arrangement by Stephen for six musicians captures the power and
breadth of the sound world.