Ragnheiður a new Icelandic Opera - Premiere at Harpa - 1st of March 2014

A brand new Icelandic Opera, Ragnheiður, by the composer Gunnar Þórðarson and librettist Friðrik Erlingsson, will its world premiere on the 1^st of March, 2014, at Harpa Concert Hall. The opera is based on true historical events that took place in Iceland in the mid 16^th century. The title role, Ragnheiður, is the 18 years old daughter of the Bishop of Skálholt , the most powerful man of the church in the country. Passions rose between Ragnheiður, the daughter of the bishop and her young teacher Daði. They fell in love but had to conceal their affections since the bishop had other things in mind for his daugther. In 1661 the bishop demanded that his daughter, Ragnheiður, would take an oath in front of the whole congregation and swearthat she was still a virgin and “as free from all dirty deeds as she was when she was brought into this world.” Nine months later she bore a child. The music score from the opera Ragnheiður was presented in concert form in the church of Skálholt in August, 2013. The concert was a great success and was praised by both the general public and the critics. The music of Gunnar Þórðarson is touching, romantic and powerful and the libretto by Friðrik Erlingsson is both beautiful and tragic. It is worth a trip to Iceland to see and hear this impressive new opera, the first Icelandic opera to be staged in Harpa, the new home of The Icelandic Opera. The conductor is Peter Sakari and in the title role will be one of Iceland´s most adored soprano singer Þóra Einarsdóttir.