Litnet

Conrad Asman (photo: provided)

This autumn, Cape Town Opera presents three operas in its upcoming Shorts: A festival of pocket operas at the Artscape Arena on 11–21 April 2024.

Naomi Meyer spoke to composer Conrad Asman about his new work, Trial by media, which revolves around the media’s impact on the Oscar Pistorius trial.

Conrad, you are the creator of the pocket opera Trial by media in the Artscape’s Arena theatre. Firstly, what do you usually compose and how do you create a contemporary pocket opera?

I usually compose contemporary ensemble and orchestral music, so this was a completely new genre for me! This project started with a libretto (the words of an opera) written by author Schalk Schoombie, who was absolutely invaluable to have on board during the creative process of the opera. I started working at the piano and creating what’s known as a vocal score, which is sort of the musical equivalent of an architectural blueprint. This allowed the opera to be flexible in terms of possible expansion or, as for this festival, be performed as a “pocket” opera – an opera with maximum impact with the most efficient use of ingredients!

Is a pocket opera a short opera (for those not in the know)?

It can be! Most traditional operas are in the range of two to four hours long (and if it’s Wagner, even longer!). The pieces you’ll hear during this pocket opera festival are all from 45 minutes to just over an hour long. So, by comparison, they’re shorter than traditional operas, but are still long enough to be compared with a typical film.

Is there a live orchestra or a few instruments on stage, or how does it work in a smaller setting like the Artscape Arena?

There will be a grand piano that will cover all the roles an orchestra usually does, along with some exciting surprises here and there, but I won’t give that away just yet! We’ve had to be very careful about how we utilise the small space in the Artscape Arena, which has in turn enriched our creative choices to become more efficient while simultaneously being striking and bold.

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There will be a grand piano that will cover all the roles an orchestra usually does, along with some exciting surprises here and there, but I won’t give that away just yet!

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The storyline of your opera is around the Oscar Pistorius trial – from Reeva’s and others’ perspectives. This is opera material, come to think of it. Tell me about your take on this story and how you made this into an opera.

This is a story of many sides, and I hope to capture as many of these perspectives as I can in this opera. During the trial, many onlookers decided which side of the guilty/not guilty line they found Oscar to be, even after the various verdicts. However, when taking a side, it can be all too easy to neglect other perspectives that exist in a multifaceted story such as this. I hope to encourage the audience to see the different perspectives not only of the trial’s participants, but also of those not present at the trial, including Reeva herself, and what she may have thought of what happened during those moments when her fiancé was on trial. Reeva’s voice has often been forgotten during various portrayals of this trial, and it is my hope to rectify this, while highlighting the effects of domestic violence present in this story.

What can the audience expect to hear – singers, orchestral instruments? What kind of music?

Expect to hear waltzes of ignorant bliss, the jarring dissonance of pain, sarcastic interruptions from opposing views, technical melodies of litigation and an overall sense of tension throughout the dramatic storyline! There will be singers of all types, from lyric sopranos to heavier altos, swindling tenors to stoic basses, alongside an accompaniment of various musical styles and genres all used to highlight the drama on stage.

Anything you wish to share on why you think people should watch this opera in April at the Artscape?

I think people should watch this opera because it tells a familiar story to all in a new and exciting way that hopes to expand the way our perspectives were shaped during the most famous moment in contemporary South African litigation. 

Shorts: A festival of pocket operas is at the Artscape Arena from 11 to 21 April 2024. Trial by media is on 11 and 18 April at 6:00 pm; the double bill – La voix humaine and The impresario – is on 12 and 19 April at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm respectively; and the triple bill, featuring all three operas – Trial by media, La voix humaine and The impresario – takes place on 13, 20 and 21 April at 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm respectively.

Tickets cost from R150 to R280 per person through Webtickets. Parent guidance: please note that for La voix humaine, parent guidance is advised, and no under 10s are allowed into Trial by media. Cape Town Opera extends its deepest gratitude to the Judith Neilson Foundation for its extraordinary philanthropic support of its 25th anniversary season.

Read more:

Press release: Cape Town Opera presents SHORTS: A festival of pocket operas at the Artscape Theatre from 11 to 21 April 2024