Creative Team
Composer
MISSY MAZZOLI
Librettist
ROYCE VAVREK
based on the film by
LARS VON TRIER
Director
JAMES DARRAH
Conductor
JULIAN WACHNER
Scenic design
ADAM RIGG
Lighting design
PABLO SANTIAGO
Projection design
ADAM LARSEN
Costume design
CHRISI KARVONIDES
Dramaturg
MIKE COHEN & CORI ELLISON
MISSY MAZZOLI
ROYCE VAVREK
JAMES DARRAH
JULIAN WACHNER
About
Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, Breaking the Waves, tells the story of Bess McNeill, a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, Bess’s marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.
Support
Co-commissioned by Opera Philadelphia and Beth Morrison Projects. World premiere production at Opera Philadelphia. New York City premiere at PROTOTYPE Festival 2017. Major support provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the William Penn Foundation. Additional support is provided by the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation, the Wallace Foundation, and OPERA America Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional commissioning support from Judy & Allen Freedman and Linda & Stuart Nelson.
![The West Coast premiere of TRADE/MARY MOTORHEAD marked another successful addition to the rich legacy of collaborative efforts between Beth Morrison Projects and LA Opera (@laopera)! We're looking back at some of our favorite productions over the years to celebrate!
DOG DAYS - DOG DAYS marked the first production of the whirlwind partnership in 2015. Hailed by the New York Times as a riveting, soon-to-be “groundbreaking American classic,” the post-apocalyptic tragedy made waves at its LAO presentation and put BMP on the West Coast map.
P R I S M - P R I S M marked another milestone in our joint history. Not only did Ellen Reid’s (@ellenreidmusic) debut opera make its world premiere with LA Opera at REDCAT (@calartsredcat), but this collaborative project would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2019. It was a major development for BMP, LAO, and, of course, Ellen Reid, who “[took] her place among the host of promising young American opera composers” (The Financial Times).
ANGEL'S BONE - Another Pulitzer Prize-winning BMP production, ANGEL'S BONE, was planned as part of the 2020 season. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentation pivoted, becoming the first in our history to be presented digitally. The show was streamed by 20,000 people, demonstrating the strength and resilience of our bond with LAO.
TRADE/MARY MOTORHEAD - Finally, Emma O’Halloran’s (@emmamohalloran) TRADE/Mary Motorhead made its West Coast premiere last month at REDCAT. We're thrilled to celebrate another year of BMP and LAO sharing boundary-pushing, cutting-edge opera with this incredible production starring Naomi Louisa O’Connell (@naomi_louisa_oconnell), Marc Kudisch (@marckudisch), and Kyle Bielfield (@bielfield)!](https://bethmorrisonprojects.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)