Festen - Festen

Festen is a contemporary opera by British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage (who has already written the operas The Silver Tassie and Anna Nicole, among others), with a libretto by Lee Hall, freely adapted from the Danish film of the same name by director Thomas Vinterberg, released in 1998 - and which has already been adapted for the stage, in particular.

The opera was commissioned by London's Royal Ballet and Opera, where it will receive its world premiere as part of the company's 2024/25 season. The world premiere production is directed by Richard Jones and conducted by Edward Gardner. The cast of the world premiere includes Allan Clayton, Stéphane Degout, Gerald Finley and Eva-Maria Westbroek.

Summary of the opera Festen by Mark-Anthony Turnage

Like Thomas Vinterberg's film, the opera takes place at the birthday party of a wealthy hotel owner who gathers his friends and family to celebrate his 60th birthday. The decorum of the celebration gradually collapses, however, when one of the patriarch's children brings up the family's (incestuous) past, revealing painful secrets and truths that are difficult to hear. Some take refuge in silence, others in denial.