Hysteria

Sarah Defrise, Emily Hehl & MM Academy

Thus begins perhaps the most famous ‘mad scene’ in literature. Ophelia, a young woman on the verge of adulthood, finds herself in an uncontrollable state of emotions and articulates herself through singing. Hysterical characters, mostly played by women, populate opera librettos. Composers seem so fascinated by the musical possibilities offered by such roles that the ‘great scene of madness’ has become one of the clichés of the operatic genre.

What does ‘madness’ or ‘hysteria’ or any of these terms mean for the use of a singing voice? How best can we break free from the stereotypes of the ‘hysterical’ female figure? And how can a contemporary approach to the use of voice shape the performance of this traditional repertoire?

Following a series of workshops led by soprano Sarah Defrise and director Emily Hehl, the young singers of the MM Academy will tackle an iconic ‘hysterical’ scene from the opera repertoire, using extended vocal techniques, before exploring excerpts from contemporary works. The aim is to broaden and enrich the toolbox of every participant so that in the future, they might be able to approach these complex characters in new ways beyond clichés and binarities. Discover the result of their work in a fascinating exploration of madness at the opera, brought to life by the great voices of tomorrow.