In this first edition of TOTEM(s), Théâtre Opéra Texte et Ecrtiture Musicale pour le Spectacle, 6 young artists, 3 composers and 3 playwriters, work together in the beautiful old monastery of La Chartreuse (Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, FR), creating 2 chamber opera’s that will be performed in July.

The unknown girl from the Seine is based on a old cold case on a dead young lady found in the river whom nobody could tell who she was.
With reference to Nina Hagen and Michel Houelbecq, H to H wants to work on the “punk” side of the two characters and on an imaginary dialog between the two.

Organised by the Chartreuse, with the support of different public and private organisations, TOTEM(s) comes from a statement: it is hard today to create in the field of contemporary music and musical theater. This comes mainly from the lack of places for creation. It was necessary for us to create such spaces, to enable words, music and space to meet and give birth to new projects for opera or musical theater. The writers and composers will be helped in the process by professional composers, directors, stage manager, etc. 

Artists

FREDERIK NEYRINCK
L’inconnue de la Seine (world première)
playwrigt Sabryna Pierre
soprano Lieselot de Wilde
actor Grégoire Monsaingeon

NEMANJA RADIVOJEVIC & NICOLAS VON RITTER
H to H (world première)
playwrigt Sandrine Roche & Marion Aubert
soprano Karoline Rose, Lena Kiepenheuer 
actor Matthieu Cruciani, Stephan Castang

ASKO|SCHÖNBERG
conductor Joey Marijs