The Double - a chamber opera by Vera Ivanova (excerpts)

"The Double" by Vera Ivanova (libretto by Sarah LaBrie) questions how our outward depiction of ourselves impacts our perceptions of reality. The troubled hero of our story believes that his digital social profile, created by him, is acting independently in an attempt to take over his life. Ultimately, the audience is left asking if he really is losing his mind, or if he can see a reality we all have missed. Librettist Sarah LaBrie says of the script, “When Vera Ivanova approached me with this project, my first thought was that this story would offer an incredible opportunity to play with the concept of identity and the way it changes as our lives migrate increasingly online. Now, however, I’ve come to understand that the significance of The Double to our current cultural moment runs much deeper than that. In 2022, many of us are coming to terms with what it means to be a citizen of a country founded on a dream that clashes glaringly with the reality many of us confront.”
Duration of the complete opera: 45 minutes
Synopsis: synchromy.org/opera-festival/
Creative Team:
Sarah LaBrie, librettist
Alexander Gedeon, director
Cast:
Jon Lee Keenan, tenor (Noth)
Anna Schubert, soprano (Klara)
Scott Graff, baritone (Therapist)
Timur, tenor (The Double)
Performers:
Marc Lowenstein, conductor
The Brightwork Ensemble
Technical Team:
Alejandro Melendez, lighting design
Nicolas Tipp, sound design
Lena Sands, costume design
Anthony Lopez, rehearsal pianist
Elizabeth Huston, production manager
Tyler Eschendal, videographer
Semi-staged version was premiered at Boston Court, Pasadena (CA) on June 4-5, 2022