Reviews

Le Monde

“Eldar’s meticulous writing creates a mysterious and spellbinding atmosphere…The score, shaped like a musical delta where rivers of wisdom and spirituality are brought together, goes straight to the heart.

Opera Today

“A mastermind collaborative project for musicians and voices… Intense and enriching”

Bachtrack

“A moving, immersive opera driven by powerful musical personalities”

Olyrix

“Versatility is one of the strong markers of The Nine-Jewelled Deer… a music halfway between contemporary creation and centuries-old tradition, woven by composer Sivan Eldar. The result is a flow that seems to come from a single source, in a unique union”

Les Echos

“The musicians display remarkable spontaneity and eloquence”

Neue Zürcher Zeitung

“A world premiere with improvisatory, multicultural charm. Deeply affecting”

Sceneweb

“A singular project…. a shimmering camaïeu of visual, vocal and instrumental colors”

Opera Wire

“The music is both refined and interesting… I dare say cathartic… played by a selection of extraordinary musicians who shine in their art of conveying meaning... we seldom see such an intense connection between the voice and the act of making the instruments speak”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

“A world premiere of a special kind. Breathtaking”

d'Lëtzebuerger Land

“A meeting between past and present, between the mythical and mystical… Pure enchantment…the eight musicians perform masterfully”

GBOPERA

“The score, at once serene and at times more unsettling, carries us on an inward journey. It is a remarkable collective work, whose result transports us… The audience was won over”

Le Soir

“A contemplative and deeply human experience. A work that leaves a lasting impression on the audience, guided by brilliant musicians”

Zébuline l’hebdo

“The dialogue between composer Sivan Eldar and singer Ganavya Doraiswamy gives rise to a musical language shaped by rich intersections… it is an intimate invocation of great emotional force… a gesture of healing, in which song tends wounds and the voice protects”

ABC Cultura

“A work that is distinct and singular. The Nine Jewelled Deer interweaves legendary, biographical, and spiritual elements. The score reveals the remarkable quality of a group of performers willing to fuse diverse genres and styles. The result is hypnotic”

Le Quotidien de l’art

“The spellbinding voices and instruments set Mehretu’s surfaces vibrating, making them shift, almost breathe. A truth emerges through veils of light, suspended notes, and a lingering sense of benevolence”

Hube Magazine

“A rare and powerful convergence of music, myth, and visual art”

Destimed

“The Nine Jeweled Deer is as much a ritual as an opera. Eldar’s score mixes classical, free jazz and Indian music resulting in many highlights… It is a meditation around the future of our world”

El Pais

“The Nine-Jewelled Deer offers a sonic experience that moves away from spectacle to focus on listening.”

Il Manifesto

“The listener is drawn into this sacred parable, immersed in hypnotic music and storytelling”

Premiere Loge

“The encounter between contemporaneity and South Indian music is a challenge that is met with great success…. Throughout the performance, we are witness to musical rigor and artistic sincerity… establishing an entrancing modality”

About

The Nine Jewelled Deer is about our jewelled selves, the selves that we hide in the deepest part of the forest, the “pearl of great price” that every human is nurturing and protecting in the face of the daily plundering and denigration of human treasure, and the ongoing violation of the generosity and plenitude and beauty of the natural world. (Peter Sellars)

Read more HERE.

CAST

Voices: Ganavya Doraiswamy, Aruna Sairam
Violin & Viola: Nurit Stark
Cello: Sonia Wieder-Atherton
Clarinet: Dana Barak
Saxophone: Hayden Chisholm
Mrudangam & Synth: Rajna Swaminathan
Electronics: Augustin Muller (IRCAM)