First performance of the fairytale-opera „Das hässliche Entlein/The ugly duckling“ in Nuremberg

Vivienne Olive’s opera „Das hässliche Entlein“ will be first performed on March 6, 2010 in Nuremberg. It is a coproduction between the Hochschule für Musik Nuremberg and the Theatre „Theater Mummpitz“. The Author and director Doris Dörrie has written the libretto. Publisher of the composition is the Furore Verlag in Kassel, who is specialized in music by women composers.

It is important for me to be able to compose on all levels: music can be extremely complex and satisfy on an intellectual as well as aesthetic level. It can be uplifting, moving - but it can also be purely entertaining. After struggling with the complexities of something like my Music for Tuba and Orchestra, I find it refreshing to sit down and write a rag-time for piano. I imagine that the audience is also grateful for some light relief. We are living in an age in which there is a massive divide between "serious" comtemporary music and pop music. I would like to show that I have something to say in both areas.

Vivienne Olive: Composer in Residence - Bundanon, August / September 2004

I got back to Germany from Bundanon, Australia at the beginning of October and had to adjust to autumn and being in a city once more. I am a senior lecturer in music theory and composition in Nuremberg - a far cry from the wombats and kangaroos who were my constant companions in Authur Boyd's Bundanon.

This trust has developed programmes and facilities to create the "Living Arts Centre" envisaged by Authur Boyd and offers residencies not only to visual artists but also to writers and composers.

I was lucky enough to enjoy the privilege of being Composer in Residence for nearly six weeks and I can truly say it was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.

The highlight of my stay was working with the Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra who performed my piece The river runs across the page (the title being a line taken from one of Anna Kerdyjk Nicholson's "Bundanon Cantos"). The performance took place on a perfect day in the Authur and Yvonne Boyd education centre at Riversdale.

My co-operation with this poet (who was Writer in Residence in 1998) also inspired me to write a song cycle, based on some other poems taken from her Bundanon Cantos: Of broken wings and artificial flowers. This is due to be performed in 2005 in the version for baritone in Lübeck, Germany, and in the version for mezzo soprano in Northampton, England.

Particularly inspiring was the contact with the other artists who were there at the same time. "Contact" is not the right word. Genuine friendships were formed. Gillian Turner (Melbourne) is designing the cover for the published version of the Shoalhaven orchestral piece and there are plans afoot to work on joint projects with the artist / photographer Maree Azzopardi (Sydney) and the environmental artist Patrick Jones (Melbourne).

Vivienne Olive

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