New Icelandic opera receives rave reviews in Denmark
Babel is a chamber opera based on a short story by Argentinian author Jorges Luis Borges. Photo/Christofffer Askman
Chamber opera "Babel" by Icelandic composer Steingrímur Rohloff has received excellent reviews in Danish media. Babel is based on a short story by Argentinian author Jorges Luis Borges and is about the library in Babel. Rohloff whose father is German, currently resides in Denmark but studied in Cologne and Paris. Although having mostly lived abroad,Rohloff has been an active participant on the Icelandic music scene for some years. He has been resident composer at Skálholt, composed the piano concerto Phantasmagoria for the Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra and a clarinet concert for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and is a regular guest of Dark Music Days.
"I was enchanted by the story," explains Rohloff in an interview with Morgunblaðið newspaper. "It's a fantasy in the vein of Beckett and Kafka, authors which I adore. It takes place in an abstract space and makes you think about eternity."
Rohloff started composing the music for Babel around a year ago. Three parts of the opera are duets where the singer sings a duo with himself on a video screen. "I'm really excited about mixing various artforms."
Babel received five out of six stars in Frederiksborg Amts Avis and excellent reviews in both Smagsdommerne and Berlingske Tidende.
