Opera Turned Film, DreamCatchr, to Premiere at Dublin International Film Festival
The film will make its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival on February 29th at 6:30pm in Screen 1 of the prestigious Light House Cinema.
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DreamCatchr, a new work from RIAM Head of Composition Kevin O’Connell to a libretto by Lily Ackerman, was initially scheduled to premiere as a fully-staged production on the Peacock Stage at the Abbey Theatre in March 2020. Faced with the cancellation of the production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kathleen Tynan, the RIAM Head of Vocal Studies and Opera, forged a creative collaboration with the National Film School at IADT to bring the story to life in a different medium.
The opera-turned-film delves into the blurred boundaries between dreams and reality, sisterhood, and selfhood in the ever-evolving technological landscape. The opera was filmed entirely on location and in studio at the IADT campus. Experienced opera and stage director Hélène Montague was joined by screen director John Comiskey to bring the stage production to the big screen. Conducted by Andrew Synnott, the all-female cast from RIAM features major roles for sopranos Megan O’Neill and Hannah O’Brien as the sisters Jane and Polly.
The collaboration between the Royal Irish Academy of Music’s Opera Department and the National Film School at IADT brought together an exceptional team of talented individuals, resulting in a unique cinematic experience. The film’s premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival promises to be a highlight of the event, celebrating the resilience and adaptability of the arts in the face of unprecedented challenges.
For more information on the Dublin International Film Festival and to book tickets, please visit www.diff.ie.
To learn more about the National Film School at IADT visit https://iadt.ie/about/national-film-school/.
To learn more about RIAM Opera, visit https://www.riam.ie/degrees-programmes/performing-opportunities/opera.
CREDITS
Composer: Kevin O’Connell Libretto: Lily Akerman Directors: Hélène Montague and John Comiskey Conductor: Andrew Synnott Producer: Kathleen Tynan Director of Photography (Location): Ciarán Tanham Lighting Director (Studio): Andrew Leonard Editor: Paul Heary Score Audio Realisation: Jonathan Nangle Set, Costume & Make-Up Design: Students from Design for Stage & Screen at IADT Location & Studio Recording: Students from the National Film School at IADT Sound Editor: Mariana Von Seckendorff Sound Design: Mariana Von Seckendorff, Lance Hogan Re-recording Mixer: Lance Hogan
CAST
Jane: Megan O’Neill Polly: Hannah O’Brien
CHORUS
Orlaith Mulholland Rachel Murphy Cerys MacAllister (Boss) Louise Florence Eílis Fox Niamh Sheehy (Spoon) Ellen Kelly (Canteen Waitress) Laura Aherne Sophie Bellamy Orla Bruce Anna-Maria Husca Stephanie Kinsella
SYNOPSIS
The opera deals with the relationship between two sisters, Jane and Polly, who live together in an apartment. Jane works in IT as a coder, creating computer software. Polly works in Real Estate. Jane has become addicted to technology and social media and is obsessed with developing a computer application to capture her dreams – DreamCatchr – little by little she creates her own pixelated reality which Polly can’t enter.
The opera takes place in an intermediate world between mundane reality and fantasy, as the characters attempt to understand one another and the different world that technology has created for all of us. Alternately comical, bizarre and disturbing DreamCatchr explores the borders between dreams and waking life, sisterhood and selfhood.
The composition of DreamCatchr was supported by an Arts Council of Ireland Project Award.