Scottish Opera is delighted to present the Scottish premiere of its first-ever animated opera short, Josefine, at Glasgow Short Film Festival on March 21.
Screening at Grosvenor Picture Theatre, this 14-minute film, inspired by Franz Kafka’s last short story ‘Josefine the Singer’, is produced in partnership with Maestro Broadcasting, and directed by the Company’s resident filmmaker Antonia Bain. The UK’s first newly commissioned opera made specifically for animation, it is composed by former Emerging Artist Composer-in-Residence Samuel Bordoli, with a libretto co-authored by Antonia.
The soundtrack features 2022/23 Emerging Artist soprano Zoe Drummond, a chorus, and The Orchestra of Scottish Opera conducted by Susannah Wapshott.
By combining the mediums of opera and animation, Josefine promises a new and exciting way to experience and explore both art forms. It takes place in a desert world designed and animated by a team headed by Sophie Bird. Here, a creature’s unearthly voice attracts sprites who are enthralled by it. The piece explores the complicated relationship between the singer and audience and the ever-more-relevant question of art’s place in times of crisis.
Following an introduction by Scottish Opera General Director, Alex Reedijk, and a screening of the film, audiences will have the chance to watch a behind the scenes documentary about the making of Josefine, and hear Antonia Bain, Samuel Bordoli and executive producer Gemma Dixon in conversation about how the animation came together. There will also be a short excerpt performed from Josefine, accompanied on piano by Susannah Wapshott.
At last year’s Messina Film Festival – Cinema & Opera, Josefine was chosen from 1400 entries to receive the Emi Mammoliti Award for best short film. This award adds to the growing list of laurels for Josefine which was the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival Winner for Best Family and Children Friendly, and received an Honourable Mention in Animation. It has been screened at festivals all over the world, including Vienna’s Rathausplatz and the Venice Biennale.
Alex Reedijk, Scottish Opera General Director said: ‘We’re delighted that Josefine will have its Scottish premiere at Glasgow Short Film Festival. Renowned for championing bold, experimental filmmaking, GSFF is the ideal platform for our first venture into animated opera. Josefine represents our commitment to pushing creative boundaries and finding new ways to present opera, and The Grosvenor Cinema provides the perfect setting to introduce audiences to this exciting new way of experiencing this wonderful art form.’
Director Antonia Bain said: ‘Josefine was born as a response to arts place in a time of crisis. It’s also a story about parenthood, a child discovering their talent, nurturing creativity, how to search for hope within when there seems to be only darkness outside, and most importantly the beauty of the voice and the overwhelming power of music to nourish the human soul.
‘Loosely inspired by Franz Kafka’s last short story ‘Josefine the Singer’, which looks at the relationship a singer has with her impoverished audience who find solace in her singing but have no time for her creative demands was first introduced to me by my collaborator, the composer and librettist Samuel Bordoli.
‘We were both compelled to write this story especially during 2020 when many art forms and artists were struggling to find a meaning and a place in the world, and it seems even more relevant now as the arts struggles in an ever changing landscape of budget cuts.
‘We also wanted to go on a new journey, to bring the mediums of music, dance and animation together to inspire young people, entertain families and also show those who love the arts how it could be transformed into something original and refreshing.
‘Creating Josefine has been a dream come true for our whole team and we all fell in love with this beautiful little character. Helping her to grow up, creating a world for her to discover, pushing her story to be better at every opportunity and overcoming the challenges of animating the ever-morphing Shoalsprites has been my proudest achievement as a director, and I can’t wait for Josefine to be seen by everyone from the very young to the very old across the world.’
To buy tickets for Josefine, and for the full GSFF programme visit glasgowshort.org
To find out more, and watch the Josefine trailer visit www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/josefine/
