Based on a text from medieval sources, author Martin Crimp, composer George Benjamin and director Katie Mitchell succeeded with WRITTEN ON SKIN 2012 in creating a sensational parable about identity, love and the power of literature and art.
Image gallery
Symbolbild Written on Skin
Conductor: Marc Albrecht; Director: Katie Mitchell; With Mark Stone, Vera-Lotte Boecker, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Irene Roberts, Chance Jonas-O'Toole a. o.
Written on Skin
Three angels look back from the present into a time in which every book was a precious object that was »written on skin«. One of the angels travels back to this era and slips into the role of a young illustrator, who has been commissioned by the violent Protector to write a book about his merits. In the Protector’s house, he encounters Agnès, his younger wife over whom he keeps a jealous watch. Agnès begins a love affair with the angel who has taken the form of the artist. The Protector discovers the two, kills the illustrator – and prepares a meal in which he serves his wife her lover’s heart.
In WRITTEN ON SKIN (2012), author Martin Crimp, composer George Benjamin and director Katie Mitchell used a text that originated from medieval sources as the basis for a sensational allegory about identity, love and the power of literature and art.
The English and French press celebrated Mr Benjamin’s second opera; it received the International Opera Award in 2013, as well as »Opernwelt«’s critics’ choice award as the debut performance of the 2012/13 season. We are staging the original production in Berlin for the first time.
Additional information
Opera in three partsLibretto by Martin Crimp after the anonymous Occitan text "Guillem de Cabestanh - Le cœur mangé" from the 13th century.Premiere on 7 July 2012 as part of the Festival d'Aix-en-ProvencePremiere at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on 27 January 2024
recommended from 16 years
Pre-performance lecture (in German): 45 minutes prior to each performance
Participating artists
Marc Albrecht (Musikalische Leitung)
Katie Mitchell (Inszenierung)
Vicki Mortimer (Bühne, Kostüme)
Jon Clark (Licht)
Sebastian Hanusa (Dramaturgie)
Mark Stone (Protector)
Georgia Jarman (Agnès)
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen (First Angel / The Boy)
Irene Roberts (Second Angel / Mary)
Chance Jonas-O'Toole (Third Angel / John)
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin (Orchester)
