ELLA
MILCH SHERIFF
F E A T U R E D R E V I E W S
"The Banality of Love" – Opera by Ella Milch-Sheriff
Libretto: Savyon Liebrecht. Stage Director: Itay Tiran
World premiere: 27 January 2018, Regensburg, Germany
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1 February, 2018, Achim Heidenreich
"The Banality of Love": Ella Milch-Sheriff has created with virtuosity, a merciless opera about the relationship between Hannah Arendt and Martin Heidegger."
"With the world premiere of the opera "The Banality of Love" by the Israeli composer Ella Milch-Sheriff, the Regensburg Theater courageously presents an uplifting and disturbing journey, often ironic, about the rift in German-Jewish relations."
"It is a virtuoso operatic evening that raises questions that are not easy to answer."
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 28 January, 2018, Eva-Elisabeth Fischer
"The Banality of Love", Ella Milch-Sheriff's superb opera about the relationship between Hannah Arendt and Martin Heidegger is premiered in Regensburg with great success."
"A Herculean undertaking which wins a grandiose success: The opera, commissioned and premiered at the Regensburg Theater, staged by the Israeli Itay Tiran which is marked by periodic reminders and is full of expressionistic touches."
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/urauffuehrung-auf-der-anklagebank-1.3843694
Opernwelt, 1 March 2018, MICHAEL STALLKNECHT
A world premiere of elemental power.
In a tight dramaturgy, "The Banality of Love" condenses events on two ever-interlinking time-planes.
Seldom have you seen theater images like that.
Such haunting theatricality is also expressed by the music.
Intensive cantilenas. Transparent orchestration.
https://www.der-theaterverlag.de/free/artikel/milch-sheriff-banalitaet-liebe-poesie-des-schreckens/
DIE DEUTSCHE BÜHNE Michaele Schabel, 30. January, 2018
"The Regensburg premiere of Ella Milch-Sheriff's opera "The Banality of Love" is much more than a banal love story. It aims at the lower level of human existence with all its distortions, becomes a metaphor for a sociopolitical turn of events, and thanks to the great music, the rich libretto and the exciting staging, it is a very special operatic experience."
Radio Bavaria, Peter Jungblut, 28 January, 2018
"What an achievement! The Israeli composer Ella Milch-Sheriff really created a big hit to a libretto by Savyon Liebrecht - their courage was rewarded, and courage is necessary for an opera about the philosopher Martin Heidegger and the sociologist Hannah Arendt."
"Musically, these were two hours of extraordinary pleasure"
"The premier, which was enriching and inspiring, won a standing ovation. I have no idea whether there was love between Heidegger and Arendt - but there was definitely music!"
https://br24.de/nachrichten/lachen-mit-heidegger-die-banalitaet-der-liebe-in-regensburg,Qhz4R16
Slipped Disc, Norman Lebrecht, 25 February, 2018
At a time when ‘new’ opera is synonymous with the abstractions of Kaija Saariaho and George Benjamin, this pulsating, all-too-human drama contends with current and recent conflicts of mind, body, gender and nation. It’s one of those rare operas that has something pertinent to say about our present confusions.
E V E N T S
January
24
Halbtener
for singer and orchestra
based on poems by beyle Schaechter-Gottesman
Malmo Opera orchestra, Sweden
Steven Sloane, conductor
February
21
22
23
Der Ewige Fremde
The Eternal Wanderer
for actor and orchestra
based on a poem by Joshua Sobol
Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig
Eli Dasnker, actor
Omer Meir Wellber, conductor
World Premiere commissioned by
Gewandhaus Orchester
https://www.gewandhausorchester.de/en/schedule/d/2020-02-18/
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"The Banality of Love", opera by Ella Milch-Sheriff, Libretto: Savyon Liebrecht. Staging: Itay Tiran
Review, Norman Lebrecht, 25 February, 2018