Performances

by Brian Friel

In the world premiere of Brian Friel's Performances, the playwright's words entwine with the music of the composer's final string quartet, Intimate Letters, to create an illuminating, unique and profoundly moving theatrical experience with an exciting combination of actors and musicians.

Janáček wrote his String Quartet No. 2 - Intimate Letters as he named it - over a period of three weeks in January - February of 1928. He was then in his 74th year. He died the following August. While he was composing Intimate Letters, every day -sometimes twice a day - he wrote extravagant, passionate, at times barely coherent love-letters to Kamila Stosslova, a married woman 37 years his junior. Performances looks at Janáček's frantic life during those intoxicated weeks; and specifically at his obsession with Kamila and the manifestation of that passion in the themes of the Quartet.

...an evening of exquisite theatre Sunday Independent



tour-de-force Sunday Times



heart-stopping...Passion beyond words Daily Mail

WITH
Ion Caramitru   Niamh Linehan & The Alba String Quartet  

Director Patrick Mason
Designer Joe Vanek
Lighting Designer Paul Keogan