Death and the Maiden is a complex and captivating thriller about revenge and reconciliation. The opera was written for Malmö Opera with its world premiere in 2008, and is now returning in a completely new production directed by Tobias Theorell, the artistic director of Folkoperan.
Set a few years after the fall of a military dictatorship in a South American country, Paulina leads a quiet life with her husband Gerardo, who is a lawyer. One day, when Gerardo's car breaks down on his way home from work, he is given a ride by a friendly stranger who introduces himself as Dr. Miranda.
When the two men enter Paulina's home, she is shocked to recognize Dr. Miranda's voice. She is convinced that he is the same man who tortured and raped her when she was a political prisoner. A man she never saw because she was blindfolded the whole time. A man who always played the most beautiful music - Schubert's string quartet Death and the Maiden - while the torture was taking place.
Repressed memories
Repressed memories flood back to Paulina from a time she would rather forget. A time of military rule, demonstrations, violence, murder, and disappearances.
She captures Dr. Miranda and stages a bizarre "trial," with her husband as prosecutor, to force a confession. Dr. Miranda insists he is innocent while Paulina, with a weapon in hand, becomes increasingly threatening. Soon Gerardo begins to doubt; have they really captured the right man?
Play, opera and film
The work is based on a play by Ariel Dorfman, who also wrote the libretto for the opera. He was also a co-writer of the screenplay when the story was adapted into a film in 1994, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley in the lead roles.
Los desaparecidos
Dorfman felt that the medium of opera gave him a unique opportunity to portray Paulina's emotions and memories. Together with the composer Jonas Forssell, he allowed the opera chorus to represent 'los desaparecidos' - those who disappeared during the military dictatorship never to be heard from again - and give voice to Paulina's inner thoughts and feelings.