Compagnie imagi_nation — the very special group of international artists and friends that are gathered around the Roy Hart Voice Centre at Malérargues — has, in recent years, produced acclaimed new productions of Mozart’s Magic Flute, “ZAUBER”, and Handel’s Acis & Galatea. This dynamic community brings together creation, transmission, and performance as a single, continuous practice, united by an enduring commitment to artistic exploration and extending the reach of contemporary lyric theatre.
They have now been invited by Opera Seme in Arezzo, Italy, for an artistic residency in July 2026 combining creation, teaching, and performance. Arezzo, renowned for its alternative opera tradition and its deep artistic heritage, provides a fertile ground for reflection and creation. The majestic Cimabue crucifix in the Basilica of San Domenico in its expression of human passion at the threshold of divine transcendence – “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!” – echoes the central theme of the new work: the human yearning for the divine.
The new creation draws further inspiration from Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, where familiar Lutheran chorales such as Herzliebster Jesu emerge within the Passion narrative. These moments invite collective recognition, allowing the voices of the faithful — remembered or imagined — to resonate within the sacred music.
Supported by the Roy Hart Voice Centre, the Malérargues Endowment fund, and imagi_nation, the residency in Arezzo will be a vital step in developing this ambitious new work — one that reaffirms the role of theatre as a living art form that connects generations, cultures, and souls. The project affirms a long-term commitment to ambitious artistic creation, international dialogue and the transmission of living practices of voice and theatre in the Wolfsohn, Hart and Roy Hart Theatre tradition.
Your donation will help support travel and production expenses for projects like this one.
