Pedro Halffter Premieres New Version of Opera KLARA At El Escorial In Spain

On July 18th, the new musical version of the opera KLARA by Spanish composer Pedro Halffter will be premiered.

The opera, which has already been performed in various venues (among which Harvard University) will have a new musical version and will receive an innovative new staging with projections and holography to achieve an immersive and spectacular atmosphere.

The new musical and stage version of KLARA enhances all the elements that have stood out since the premiere in 2022: a reflection on a not-so-distant future in which the development of artificial intelligence may lead to the creation of thinking and “sentient” robots. This possible future may generate hope in society, but at the same time anxiety and restlessness. Pedro Halffter is well aware of this social dynamic and seeks to bring a new angle to it.

For Halffter, KLARA is not an answer but a reflection on this possible future. AI is neither good nor bad in and of itself; the elements that will impact our society for better or for worse lie in AI's development and use. The composer has created a work that not only aims to be a fictional story about the near future, but also serves as a metaphor for people who feel trapped in a world of limitations and preconceived ideas.

Klara is a state-of-the-art robot capable of reasoning and making decisions.  She begins to question her existence and what it means to be human and embarks on an inner journey in search of her own identity. On this journey she will encounter obstacles and challenges.

The opera is divided into 4 haikus which correspond to crucial moments in Klara's life: Dawn, Secret, Storm, and Farewell.

Antón Armendariz will take charge of the stage direction, with the mission of making the character of Klara complex and multidimensional. Klara thinks like a human but doesn't feel like a human. The resolution of this conflict on stage comes through a novel staging of projections and holography, designed by Draw & Music Studio. This work enables the creation of a dialogue between the real and digital world that can reach the public.

Ashley Galvani Bell will embody the protagonist KLARA, a role she originated at the world premiere in Villafranca del Bierzo and the US Premiere in Harvard University, and she will be joined by Eduardo Frias and the composer himself, Pedro Halffter, at the two pianos.  

July 18 2023

Teatro Auditorio San lorenzo de El Escorial

Time: 08:30 PM

Organized by: Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cursos de Verano

Free admittance

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