Nelson writer Doug Jamieson had been contemplating whether he wanted to tackle a full-length operatic work for many years, hesitating and second-guessing, when a close friend of his died in 1995.
“I’d had this idea percolating for quite a while of writing a large operatic work and I’d never really gotten around to it, but when you’re confronted with mortality…I just thought `I’m going to do it’,” said the 65-year-old author of Jorinda, which will have its world premiere later this year after twenty years of development.
Jamieson originally formulated his idea for the bird-themed fairy tale, which is based loosely on the Grimm Brother’s “Jorinde and Joringel”, while he was reading bedtime stories to his children in the 1980s.
“Thinking about that particular story, I thought there were lots of elements that would be interesting to incorporate.”
He eventually developed a reimagining of the tale in which the lead character Jorinda, a strong-willed girl, faces off against an evil witch. The title role will be played by local singer Allison Girvan, while her nemesis will be played by Nelson’s current cultural ambassador Bessie Wapp.
“There’s a wicked witch that captures girls and turns them into birds and keeps them in cages. She’s been doing this for so long she has 7,000 birds in cages. And then one of them escapes, a young man finds her, and although she’s recaptured he tries to save her from the witch.”
Sydney Black will be the third singer in the production, playing Wapp’s servant sidekick, while the fourth has yet to be cast.
Jamieson is thrilled that the project is nearing completion, and that he was able to attract such a talented local cast. They are currently searching for the dancing cast.
The opera includes contemporary elements, including an R&B section.
“Although it’s not hip hop, and there are aspects I’ve taken from studying certain composers such as Bartók or Stravinsky, there’s also quite a pop music element as well.”
Recently, Jamieson recorded the opera and published it. Now available to download for free online, performed by professional singers from Ontario, he hopes it will give audience members a chance to experience the work before seeing it live.
“Recording that had a couple important effects. One, it confirmed my understanding that it was a good work that needed to be completed and staged, and it also allowed me to let people know what it sounds like without just handing them the score,” he said.
He said Nelson is exactly the right place to stage his production.
“There’s a lot of talent here and a thirst for musical theatre. There are some very professional level productions here, mounted with minimal budgets compared to what you’d have to do in Vancouver or Toronto,” he said.
“It feels like something coming to a conclusion, in a way, though I hope it will have a life beyond the first week of performances. But it does feel like it’s coming to fruition.”
Jorinda’s world premiere is slated for Nov. 12.
For more information visit jorinda.com.