Yellow Sofa

5 November 2020, 19.00-21.00

Solti Hall

CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival

Yellow Sofa

Julian Philips: The Yellow Sofa – Hungarian premiere
Chamber opera in one act in Hungarian with English subtitles.

Amarela: Andrea Meláth
Godofredo: Zsolt Haja
Ludovina: Lilla Horti
Margarida: Anna Molnár
Machado: Barna Bartos
Neto: Tamás Busa
Teresa: Zsófia Nagy
Medeiros: Szabolcs Hámori
Carvalho: Ferenc Endrész
Nunes Vidal: András Farkas
Mediterrán Ensemble
Conductor: Szabolcs Sándor
Musical assistants: Mónika Baja
Choreographer: Eszter Lázár
Costumes: Bori Tóth
Assistant to the director: Kinga Széles
Director: András Almási-Tóth

The Welsh Julian Philips (1969) is an opera composer through and through, with ten staged works under his belt. As the first resident composer of Glyndebourne Opera between 2006–2009, he was commissioned to write two chamber operas: Followers, with a libretto by Simon Christmas, and The Yellow Sofa, with words by Edward Kemp, were both premiered at the famed opera festival, the latter in 2009. In 2012 a revived version of the production was toured nationally, and was presented even at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. The performances met with great interest, and were widely reviewed in the British press.

The Yellow Sofa is set in Lisbon, in the late 19th century. Godofredo Alves has a small but prosperous business. The soft cushions of the yellow sofa (called Amarela in the opera, and sung by a mezzo-soprano) he had bought for his wife, Ludovina, had been witness to a lot of things. One day, Godofredo’s business partner, Machado stops work earlier than usual, and encourages him too to get out and have some fun. Godofredo takes up his advice, and leaves, but then remembers it is their wedding anniversary, and hurries home, only to find Ludovina and Machado in a compromising position upon the yellow sofa.

We kindly inform our audience that due to the new covid-related provisions, though your ticket indicates a seat, visitors will be let in the hall in the order of arrival, and can only occupy seats as per the posted instructions.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Presented by

Müpa, Liszt Academy Concert Centre

Tickets:

HUF 2000, 2500