Anna e Zef
opera for soprano, baritone, fl, cl, bs, hn, perc, vi1, vi2, vla, vc, cb
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LUN 1007 - 2 Anne & Zef (Italian)
Libretto Ad de Bont
Italian Marco Morgantini
Commission Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra asked Krüs to compose an
opera about Anne Frank in 2015. She based Anne & Zef on the successful play Anne en Zef
by Ad de Bont, who used parts of Anne's diary as a starting point. The opera was created
in Dutch and although written with a young audience in mind, it is suited for anyone older
than 12. And for any language - until now it has been translated (and performed!)
into Italian, English, German, and partly Cantonese.
New translations and productions are planned.
Premiere Dutch: April 7th, 2015 in de NedPho Koepel, Amsterdam
Italian: March 12th, 2017 Roma
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Story
Zef, a fifteen year-old Albanian boy from our time, was killed because of the Kanun, the blood revenge. In the afterlife he meets Anne Frank and they find out they have a lot in common: a violent death, problems with parents, Anne loved to write, Zef loved to act. Both were robbed of their freedom prior to their premature deaths: Anne in the 'Achterhuis', Zef had to hide in his own home to stay safe. Their curiosity about each other leads to poignant, funny and at times melancholy scenes. Gradually they grow closer to each other.
Key element in the story is the 'unknown diary' of Anne: Ad de Bont created new texts as if Anne had continued to write: 'First on a stone or in the sand, then in the air and finally only in my head'.
