Oryx and Crake

Based on the novel by the great Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the newly commission opera "Oryx and Crake" takes us into a fascinating dystopian future where genetic engineering rules the world. A new breed of humans – passive, docile Children of Crake who are physically flawless, void of envy and jealousy, do not understand violence or sexual drive and have no artistic ability or comprehension of technology – are to replace humanity here. Snowman is perhaps the last person to have survived the Great Plague. He is haunted by the memories of his best friend Crake and the mysterious Oryx, with whom they were both in love. In search of answers, he embarks on a journey through the wilderness that was once a great city, until uncontrolled genetic manipulation changed the face of humanity. How far will science go in order to optimise and manipulate human beings in order to achieve a permanently peaceful society? And at what cost?

Hannah Dübgen has created a gripping libretto from Margaret Atwood's thriller, while the new score is composed by Søren Nils Eichberg, known to Wiesbaden audiences for his 2017/18 world premiere "Schönerland". Daniela Kerck, known for her acclaimed staging of Jörg Widmann's "Babylon" in 2021/22, returns as director and designer, supported by video artist Astrid Steiner. Albert Horne conducts the Hessian State Orchestra.

PREMIERE: 18 February 2023