{"id":122,"date":"2025-01-05T13:22:19","date_gmt":"2025-01-05T12:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tyler.com\/?p=122"},"modified":"2025-06-22T04:20:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T03:20:13","slug":"fanny-and-alexander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/performances\/fanny-and-alexander\/","title":{"rendered":"Fanny and Alexander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-content-justification-center is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-84ef30b9 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d9e42b50 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1369\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0253-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-885\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0253-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0253-1-300x160.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-container-content-9628090a\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"533\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/de-munt-mze3otc0ndazoq-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-886\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/de-munt-mze3otc0ndazoq-1.jpg 533w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/de-munt-mze3otc0ndazoq-1-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-container-content-9628090a wp-duotone-unset-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1488\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0250-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-888\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3\/2;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0250-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0250-300x174.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1730\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0252-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-893\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3\/2;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0252-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0252-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">This year&#8217;s main event for me has been the insane production that is &#8220;Fanny and Alexander&#8221;. It&#8217;s not every day you get a title role at La Monnaie when you&#8217;re only 15 &#8211; I sure as hell didn\u2019t expect to be here a year ago, and I honestly still have trouble grasping the fact that I took a leave from school for two months to go sing in the main role with some of the most renowned names in the opera world in front of thousands. And yet, here I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Fanny and Alexander | Mikael Karlsson | Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HLMuwhD9uW8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" style=\"margin-top:40px;font-size:clamp(1.146rem, 1.146rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.189), 1.8rem);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:-0.28px\">The opera<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFanny and Alexander\u201d is a world premiere contemporary opera commissioned by La Monnaie. Composer <a href=\"https:\/\/mikaelk.com\">Mikael Karlsson<\/a> and librettist Royce Vavrek were working closely with us &#8211; the cast &#8211; and the stage directors throughout nearly the entire creative process, and were present almost every day of the six week long , full-time rehearsal period to answer our questions and make (far too many for comfort) last minute changes to the score. It was such a privilege to be able to ask the composer himself why a certain part was written a certain way, and I\u2019m so happy that by the end of the production, I\u2019d become quite close with both Royce and Mika!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The story itself is based on the 1982 film of the same name, by the great Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, which won four Academy Awards. It is a 3-hour film or a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/pkSuvjz1KPs?si=pgK7DYRbAyDpWCop\">5 1-hour-episode TV mini series<\/a> (the director&#8217;s cut), and is a very popular Christmas watch in Sweden. I played Alexander, the lead role, who\u2019s story is thought to represent Bergman\u00b4s childhood traumatic experiences \u2013 though he himself denies this. Bergman&#8217;s son, Ingmar Bergman Jr., was also very involved in the production of the opera. The stage director was Ivo van Hove, and the musical conductor, Ariane Matiakh. A full list of the cast can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lamonnaiedemunt.be\/en\/program\/3147-fanny-and-alexander\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"477\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cast.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1027\" style=\"width:287px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cast.png 477w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cast-216x300.png 216w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" style=\"margin-top:40px;font-size:clamp(1.146rem, 1.146rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.189), 1.8rem);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:-0.28px\">The cast<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-478b6e6b wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1067\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4d4a6249-3c9e-423b-a21d-c77056740c87-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-882\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4d4a6249-3c9e-423b-a21d-c77056740c87-edited.jpg 1067w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4d4a6249-3c9e-423b-a21d-c77056740c87-edited-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1067px) 100vw, 1067px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_9642-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-880\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_9642-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_9642-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0275-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-881\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0275-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_0275-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, this post wouldn\u2019t be complete without a more thorough mention of the cast I worked with every day for a whole two months. From day one of rehearsals, I had immense admiration and respect for every one of my fellow singers &#8211; I\u2019d never been in such close proximity to so many performers of such high calibre -, but it took a few more interactions for me to really realise just how much the relationships I would forge with everyone would mean to me, and just how much they would literally change my life: because even now that the show is over and that they\u2019ve each gone back to their respective countries, I know I still have all those connections, and I know that I still have all those people who are there for me if I ever need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond that though, the emotional bonds I\u2019ve created with some of my fellow singers go beyond those of simple castmates, I\u2019ve come to think of them as a second family. I like to use the example of Peter Tantsits, who played Oscar Ekdahl, Alexander\u2019s father for this. Since the beginning of rehearsals, we got along amazingly, and as time went on, I found myself always gravitating to him when I felt anxious, and always feeling better from his reassurances, I ended up seeing him as a real father figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b757edec wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"528\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064705177.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-932\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064705177.png 650w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064705177-300x244.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064734770.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-933\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064734770.png 940w, https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image_2025-01-20_064734770-300x205.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And to give a cute little anecdote: On the penultimate show, during the entr\u2019acte, I was going around getting my programme signed by the cast, so I ask Peter, and he says he\u2019ll bring it back to my dressing room when he\u2019s done because he wants to write a note. So, I go back to my loge and a few minutes later, he knocks on my door to drop it off, I take it, and then, as he\u2019s leaving says \u201coh, by the way! I signed as both Oscar and myself!\u201d. Unclear on exactly what he meant, I gave a generic answer and brought the programme back into the dressing room to give it a read. I open it at the page he\u2019d used to find a beautifully written and extremely sweet note, signed \u2013 and I tear up slightly whenever I recount this \u2013 \u201cYour Dad\u201d. So, of course, there I was then, with 5 minutes left of the entr\u2019acte to get my hair done and get changed to go back on stage, crying at how Peter said he\u2019d signed it as himself, which meant that he really considered me like a son. (And I know this all might sound silly to the outside reader, but that\u2019s why it means so much to me)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" style=\"margin-top:40px;font-size:clamp(1.146rem, 1.146rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.189), 1.8rem);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:-0.28px\">The music<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As in contemporary music often is the case, \u201cFanny and Alexander\u201d is a technically quite complex piece. It took me months of preparatory rehearsing with the help of a coach to learn the score before even setting foot in the rehearsal room on the first day with the rest of the cast. There aren\u2019t many real arias throughout the opera, and the vocal lines aren\u2019t always particularly melodic. Added to that, the constant changes in time signature and the at times very dissonant orchestral accompaniment, make for overall, quite an enigma of a piece. Thankfully however, Mika provided us all with MIDI versions of the entire score, which \u2013 and I think I speak for the whole cast \u2013 massively aided us in deciphering and ultimately mastering each of our roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the musical structure of the composition in itself, the opera is divided into two acts, but Mikael Karlsson describes the music being rather split into three major sections: the first, most \u201cclassic\u201d per se of the three, is the happy world of the Ekdahl family Christmas. The music is almost completely consonant and tonal, and the mood is generally joyful. Then comes the stark grey world of the Bishop\u2019s home. The music here turns more minimal, modernistic, even reminiscent of Benjamin Britten\u2019s works, and introduces more atonal elements into the soundscape. The third and final part is in the fantastical world of Uncle Isaak. Here, the electronic music that had been present in the first two sections, comes closer to the forefront. The overall tone emphasizes the magical elements of this world and mix in some modes often found in traditional music too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The electronic music I just mentioned is quite interesting and a core aspect of the music of \u201cFanny and Alexander\u201d. I will develop it in a <a href=\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/performances\/fanny-and-alexander-a-mix-of-electronic-and-acoustic-music\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"998\">dedicated post.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am including here two videos of the production: the <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/HLMuwhD9uW8\">1-minute trailer<\/a> (see above) and the almost 3-hours complete opera (below, available online for a limited amount of time). I recommend watching it on a big screen and surround system, or at least with good headphones. More photos and videos on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/alittlebitjayy\/\">Instagram<\/a> and YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/p1rBl3mNkqQ?si=cQvRY3pyUsuuiSkk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>La Monnaie, 1-19th of December 2024. I played Alexander in the World Premiere of this new opera by Mikael Karlsson, based on the famous film by Ingmar Bergman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9,8,24],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-performances","tag-la-monnaie","tag-performances","tag-opera"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/DSC2397_\u00a9MatthiasBaus-scaled-3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1123,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions\/1123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}