by Gustav Mahler
World Premiere staging

In association with sinfonia ViVA and Magdala Opera, Nottingham Council House, 30th Sept – 2nd Oct 2005

Participating Centres:

• The Friary
• Base 51
• Emmanuel House
• The Academy, Framework Housing in conjunction with YMCA and Double Impact
• Other partner centres/orgs through Hostels Liaison Group

Mahler’s haunting songcyle, Rückert Lieder was staged for the first time in a full, operatic setting and involving specially-commissioned translations of the poems (by Robert Thicknesse), directed by Erica Whyman (voted one of the Top 5 directors by the Evening Standard) and designed by Soutra Gilmour. The cast included Phyllis Cannan, Anna Dennis and Thomas Guthrie staring alongside a cast of homeless men and women from Nottingham.

The production also involved the new reduced scoring commissioned and performed by sinfonia ViVa under Nicholas Kok with singers from Magdala (formerly Magdala Opera Trust). The production was performed in the Ballroom of the Council House, Nottingham’s City Hall, allowing us to celebrate homeless people in the seat of power in the city.

See BBC Culture Show documentary about this production here