PICTURE A DAY LIKE THIS
OPERA IN ONE ACT
TEXT BY MARTIN CRIMP
WORLD PREMIERE
CO-COMMISSION AND CO-PRODUCTION FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE, ROYAL OPERA HOUSE - COVENT GARDEN, OPÉRA NATIONAL DU RHIN, OPÉRA COMIQUE, LES THÉÂTRES DE LA VILLE DE LUXEMBOURG, OPER KÖLN, TEATRO DI SAN CARLO
— WITH THE SUPPORT OF MADAME ALINE FORIEL-DESTEZET, GRANDE MÉCÈNE D'EXCEPTION DES 75 ANS DU FESTIVAL D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE
WITH THE SUPPORT OF CERCLE DES MÉCÈNES ASSOCIÉS, KAROLINA BLABERG STIFTUNG, AMMODO, JEAN-FRANÇOIS DUBOS, CERCLE INCISES FOR CONTEMPORARY CREATION
Find one happy person in this world
and cut one button from their sleeve.
Do it before night and your child will live.Martin Crimp, Picture a day like this
An ordinary day. A terrible event. The death of her infant child sets in motion one woman’s search for a life-restoring miracle. All she needs to do – in the course of a single day – is find one genuinely happy human being. But when every encounter, however promising, ends in disappointment, she turns finally to the mysterious Zabelle, owner and creator of a magnificent garden. Eleven years after the historic success of Written on Skin, George Benjamin returns to the Festival with a new opera in one act: a universal tale with moving colours, where the flow of music follows the flow of life; an initiatory fable on human nature and self-discovery. For the fourth time, he reunites with Martin Crimp, his faithful author; Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma are the stage directors, and with video design by Hicham Berrada. The composer himself conducts five magnificent young singers – including Marianne Crebassa – and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, which celebrates its 25th anniversary on this occasion.
George Benjamin awarded the 2023 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which is bestowed each year upon a composer or performer for his or her major contribution to the world of contemporary music.
Ticket prices: €155, €93, €59, €31
Youth prices: €46, €27, €17, €9
Performance available with ticket packages
1 hour and 15 minutes without interval
Sung in English with French and English surtitles
Publisher: Faber Music, Londres
Related content

GEORGE BENJAMIN WINS THE 2023 ERNST VON SIEMENS MUSIC PRIZE
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is pleased to announce that George Benjamin has been awarded the 2023 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which is bestowed...