This project brings together stage, visual and sound artists with different backgrounds under one stage production that will be performed on the 13^th and 14^th of June in Cornerteateret's Kongesalen at 19:00 o'clock.

The collaborative work is a new approach inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story titled The Yellow Wallpaper, which elegantly tackles the difficult subject of postpartum depression and late-nineteenth century mental healthcare practices, all in the shape of a diary. The entire work can be read here. A short summary of the story can be read as follows: An unnamed woman is narrating her temporary residency in a country house for the summer, together with her husband, newborn baby and sister in law. Her husband, the doctor, believes that keeping his wife away from the busy city and people altogether will cure her postpartum depression, which he lightly describes as ‘fancies’. Unable to leave the summer house, our main character spends most of her time in the home’s old nursery, a strange room with an even stranger yellow wallpaper. Staring at the odd, damaged wallpaper, she begins to recognize face-like patterns that seem to be trapped inside. Ultimately, this turns into an obsession to liberate the creeping creatures which takes a hold on her as she falls into a foley while trying to discover the truth. Finally, she escapes by entering the wallpaper herself.

Regarding the artistic approach we propose an immersive experience of Gilman’s story by exploring three different points of view (The Wall, Lotte and John), giving The Wall its own voice(s) while also allowing John to step out of the original diary-shaped text. The once unnamed woman who is narrating Gilman’s original work is now stepping into the role of Lotte (whose name is inspired by the original author's first name), experiencing her own narration first-hand. The Wall is personified through four different voices, challenging the border between what is real and what is truly artificial in an opera setting.

Four singers will alternatively take on the role of Lotte throughout the performance, as well as The Wall's.

Besides the process described above, the ensemble’s involvement into the dramaturgy of the opera is also reflected in its instrument group - correspondent character as follows: the strings are part of Lotte’s character, the woodwinds belong toJohn’s conscience and the combination of strings and percussion corresponds to TheWall. As characters evolve during the piece, so do their instrumental groups by employing different techniques, combinations and variations of the material.

Composer: Ana Maria Oancea
Libretto: Stephan Teuwissen
Conducting: Torbjørn Heide Arnesen
Direction: Cristina Cotescu
Scenography: Yasemin Orhan
Light design: Ruben Olsen Lærk
Lotte/The Wall: Ingrid Reinan, Helen Tyssekvam, Maria Haukenes Malmedal, Una Kristin Kristjansdottir.
John: Torbjørn Heide Arnesen

The ensemble:
Daniel Henry Øvrebø (flute)
Johannes Byrkjeland (bassoon)
Kishanth Halvorsen (percussion)
Sergio Llorente (violin)
Johanna Saaek (cello)
Didrik Berg (double bass)
Assistant conductor: Isak Hård

Special thanks to Bjarte Bjorkum, Andreas, Olav Tveitane, Einar Røttingen, Anders Hannevold, Avgarde, Dinu Hârjeu, Andrei Moțoc and all who made this possible.
Supervisor: Dániel Péter Biró
The project is supported by the Morten Eide Pedersen Fund, Avgarde and the Grieg Academy.