Theatre of the World, the latest opera by Louis Andriessen, is inspired on the Jesuit Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680). Among other things, Kircher was an Egyptologist, Sinologist, mathematician and physicist, volcanologist, music theoretician and composer.

One of the duties of Jesuits was to seek God’s presence in all things. The result was shown in an expressive manner as a ‘theatre of the world’.
In this opera Kircher travels through time and space, accompanied by a twelve-year-old boy. Is it his pupil, is it himself when he was younger, or is it the devil? He crosses the river of death, sees the Tower of Babel and arrives in China. The trip is to help him to remember everything he ever experienced. If Kircher can remain who he is, will he then be in heaven or in hell? The old, weak man wants to make peace with God. At his funeral, his beloved Juana praises the brilliant splendour of the world.
Louis Andriessen sketches the story of a colourful figure. With styling and design by the American Quay Brothers and Pierre Audi as the director, all ingredients for a very special opera are in place.

Artists

LOUIS ANDRIESSEN
Theatre of the World

ASKO|SCHÖNBERG
conductor Reinbert de Leeuw
Athanasius Kircher Leigh Melrose
Pope Innozenzo XI Marcel Beekman
Sor Juana Ínes de la Cruz Christina Zavalloni
The cornifex Mattijs van de Woerd
A couple of secret lovers (He and She) Nora Fischer, Martijn Cornet
direction Pierre Audi
decor and video Quay Brothers
costums Florence von Gerkan
light Jean Kalman
dramaturgy Klaus Bertisch