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Orlando
130
English
Synopsis
Based on Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel, the opera follows Orlando, a young nobleman in Elizabethan England who, after waking from a trance, transforms into a woman. The story spans three centuries, during which Orlando travels, writes poetry, and navigates changing gender roles. The libretto weaves Woolf’s words with new text, focusing on the fluidity of gender, the construction of identity across time, and the resistance to fixed categories. The stage features a single countertenor who embodies both male and female Orlando, accompanied by an ensemble that comments like a Greek chorus.
Composer
Olga Neuwirth
Lyricist / Librettist / Playwright
Catherine Filloux and Olga Neuwirth (based on Virginia Woolf’s novel)
Year of composition/publication / premiere
2019
Genre
Opera
LGBTQAI+ category
Queer, Trans
Level of centrality
Main character
Characters
Orlando (a single role that transforms from male to female)
Voice type
Contra-tenor
Pronouns
Publisher / Rights holder
Schott Music (Mainz)
Where to buy / access the work
Performance rights
For performance rights, please contact the composer and/or publisher to ensure legal compliance.
Official website
Audio recording(s)
Video performance(s)
Keywords
Olga Neuwirth, Orlando, Virginia Woolf, queer opera, countertenor, gender fluidity, trans identity, Vienna State Opera, solo opera, time travel, feminist opera