In her Dutch debut, Orpha Phelan's production of Bernstein's A Quiet Place with Opera Zuid in Maastricht has premiered to great acclaim, with libretto by Stephen Wadsworth (pictured right together). As the sequel to his one-act opera Trouble in Tahiti, Orpha's new production has received sensational reviews in Bernstein's centenary year:
“The action on stage illustrates how well Orpha Phelan has listened to, and understood the music.”
de Limburger*****
“Orpha Phelan (director) and Madeleine Boyd (set design & costumes) have opted for a unique setting in which a change of place and time is made clear by means of minimal changes. It works wonderfully well - everything is thought through, with sophisticated lighting from Matthew Haskins and beautiful choreography from Lauren Poulton. Exemplary. This Quiet Place is a fantastic production, a performance with a golden edge, giving Opera Zuid a great trump card for a successful tour of Dutch theatres, along with a trip to Luxembourg.”
Place de l'opera*****
“Strong direction from Orpha Phelan.”
de Volkskrant****
“Orpha Phelan's direction is relevant, inventive, humorous, heart warming. We already know Opera of The Year.”
Opera Gazet
“A Quiet Place was powerful precisely because director Orpha Phelan did not refer convulsively to historical or current storylines, which are outside the context of the opera itself. The emphasis of this family drama was in the American suburbs where it belongs.”
nrc.nl****
“This production is in the hands of the prize-winning duo Orpha Phelan and Madeleine Boyd.”
Chapeau Magazine
'In conversation with Orpha Phelan' is available here, and you can watch the trailer here. Performances run until 9 December 2018.
Production photo credit: Joost Milde
