In the midst of many Arts festival cancellations around the world Dumbworld are excited to announce that the presentation of a series of our collected short works, is going ahead at Kunstfest, Weimar, Germany this September.
Dumbworld’s artistic directors; writer and director John McIlduff and composer Brian Irvine will present the world premiere of their musical theatre circuit, consisting of seven short operas telling ordinary, everyday stories, in seven locations in the city of Weimar. Taking place over two days beginning September 1st 2020, each opera, lasting approximately ten minutes, combines songs performed by a local cast and recordings by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
The collected short works includes a series of five short operas, inspired by the lives of real people in Dublin, produced by Irish National Opera as part of the Dublin City Public Art Programme in 2014. ‘Two Angels Play I Spy’, ‘To Do List’, ‘Wake Up Son’, ‘Suck It In’, ‘Drive by Shooting’, ‘I Just Sell My Bananas’ and ‘Ironing Board Blues’.
Each of these unique short operas presents a modern take on the traditional format in a highly evocative and surprising way. ‘Drive By Shooting’, nominated for the Total Theatre Awards for Innovation, Experimentation and Playing with Form (2018), tells a story of passion and revenge which is played out by octogenarians on Zimmer frames. While ‘To Do List’ follows a confused and depressed man in his early thirties as he prowls around his bedroom writing yet another ‘to do list.’
This is the first time that all seven pieces have been performed together, merging musical theatre performances and visuals as an unforgettable, immersive experience.
So if you find your way to the city of Weimar at the beginning of September, be alert! The banana sellers in the marketplace, a group of smokers outside the office or simply a pile of rubbish on a street corner could suddenly burst into song!
The Kunstfest Weimar is central Germany’s leading festival of the arts which features a wide range of theatre, dance, music, literature, film and fine arts productions from around the world. Link to the full programme: kunstfest-weimar.de/index.php?id=156
DUMBWORLD www.dumbworld.co.uk
Dumbworld is an artist led creative production company. Established in 2009 by composer/producer Brian Irvine and filmmaker/writer/ director John McIlduff, Dumbworld works collaboratively and in partnership with various national and international artists, organisations and practitioners. Working across disciplines Dumbworld creates artistically ambitious and exciting pieces that involve working closely with significant practicing professionals as well as people all ages, experiences and backgrounds. The work includes operas, feature films, documentaries, public art installations and performance pieces.
Since its formation Dumbworld has created and produced four full-scale operas, two short film operas, three children’s animated orchestral oratoria, several public art commissions, a book, a feature film, a feature documentary as well as the Northern Ireland’s largest ever public art installation NEST – commissioned by the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
Dumbworld’s work has been performed and seen in over 30 countries and has been recognized internationally – Washington 2014 CIFF Audience Choice Award for the animated opera Peter Lilly and the Nose, 2012 Florence film Festival (best film), 2012 Festival Les Escales (Audience Award), 2011 Thessalonaki Film Festival (Best film), 2011 British Composers Award (nomination), 2011 Irish Times Theatre Award for Opera (nomination), 2011 Irish Allianz Arts Award for Opera (best use of music in the community).
In 2014 Dumbworld’s Co-Creative Director Brian Irvine became the first ever Music Laureate for Belfast.
