Judith (worldpremière)

Judith is a short monodrama for soprano and piano, written for soprano Claron McFadden, where the soprano dives into the mind of Judith, Bluebeard’s last wife; the piano (rather than the pianist) takes on the role of Bluebeard. Contrary to the classical story, where Judith is her husband’s victim, here all agency lies with Judith. In this unsettling reading of the story by Gaea Schoeters (think Histoire d’O meets Pasolini), Judith is depicted as a strong woman who longs for an extreme sexual experience. As she demands of her husband to fulfill her wish, Bluebeard shows himself as a hesitating lover, reluctant to give in to her extreme desire. 

The piece was commissioned by Stichting Spinthout and Concertgebouw Brugge.