Testament

About

Testament is a chamber opera by Tarik O'Regan with a libretto by Colm Tóibín, directed by Rachael Hewer and conducted by Elaine Kelly. It centres on the later life of Mary, mother of Jesus, with memory, grief, truth, exile and the control of historical narrative at its core. The amphitheatre-style staging uses seven instrumental players who also take intermittent dramatic roles, while the chorus animates biblical tableaux. The score combines minimalism, dance rhythms, electronics, lyricism and choral writing. The production features set design by Francis O'Connor, costume design by Joan O'Clery, lighting by Kevin Treacy, sound design by David Sheppard, movement direction by Emma Woods, répétition by Aoife Moran and assistant direction by Chris Kelly.