Here I Am, Orlando | Perform Czech

I love trees that have been growing for thousands of years… Does time pass around us or do we pass in time? Are there people among us who can create their own inner time that lasts for the ages? Orlando or Orlanda, what’s the point in naming an identity that others judge and feel the need to label when the only thing that matters is the freedom in our heart and soul. That’s the only way we can walk through time and see…

Another new opera work has been commissioned for the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno. Here I Am, Orlando is the work of the excellent Slovak composer Lubica Čekovská, who is no newcomer to the world of opera; her last opera, Impresario, premiered at the Bregenz Festival. The libretto is inspired by the fascinating novel Orlando by English writer Virginia Woolf, a literary journey across the centuries, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to 1928, with the young nobleman and poet Orlando. The opera takes us into a courtroom where the decision is being made as to whether Orlando is a man or a woman. Through individual testimonies, we get a glimpse into the turning points in Orlando’s life. The loss of a first great love, the search for solitude and a new identity, and a mysterious sleep revealing the thin line between life and death. Orlando loves, creates and changes; here the opera pays homage to the liberating power of imagination and art, and the ability to perceive the present moment.

About the company

The primary mission of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno is to interpret the works of Leoš Janáček and other important Czech composers. Our ensemble boasts a world-renowned choir, an exceptional orchestra and an ensemble of 17 soloists. The Janáček Opera also organises the biennial Janáček Brno International Opera and Theatre Festival. The Janáček Opera’s projects include leading artists such as conductor Jakub Hrůša, Tomáš Netopil and Tomáš Hanus, as well as world-renowned stage directors such as Robert Carsen, David Pountney and David Radok.