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Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht - camels, helicopters and paint!
Karlheinz Stockhausen's last unperformed opera, Mittwoch aus Licht, has finally been put on stage by the Birmingham Opera Company. Utilising a cast of over 150 performers and lasting over five hours, the opera's highlights include live camels, a string quartet in helicopters and a lot of paint.
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1. The camels arrive...
Two live camels are wrangled outside the performance space, the Argyle Works.
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2. The performers prepare
The performers for Mittwoch aus Licht require a huge amount of distinctive make-up - here one performer has his applied.
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3. More performers preparing for Mittwoch aus Light
Performers for Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht prepare their distinctive make-up.
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4. A singer prepares for Stockhausen
Some preparations are surprisingly thorough for the last unperformed Stockhausen opera, Mittwoch aus Licht.
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5. Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht
Performers prepare to take the stage (or umpire's chair?) for Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht.
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6. Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht
The performers take the stage in the five-hour opera, Mittwoch aus Licht.
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7. The stage is set for Stockhausen
The warehouse setting for Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht.
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8. The camels prepare
The camels prepare for their stage debut in Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht.
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9. Trombonist in paddling pool
Just when you were comfortable with the idea of a camel on stage, Stockhausen throws in a trombonist in a paddling pool. Why not?
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10. Stockhausen's helicopter string quartet
If you look closely, you can make out the members of Stockhausen's infamous helicopter string quartet, suspended (for rehearsal purposes) from the ceiling. The actual performance features a video link from four real helicopters flying outside the venue.
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11. Trombone takes a tumble...
It all gets a bit too much for the trombonist...
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12. Airborne string quartet
A string quartet are suspended in the air as part of Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht. Bet it's a nightmare for tuning.
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13. The camel returns - with champagne
One of the most striking visual elements of Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht has to be the sight of a camel with a bottle of champagne in its mouth.
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14. Serenading a camel with a trombone
Stockhausen's opera takes an even more surreal turn...
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15. The cast of Mittwoch aus Licht
The paint-strewn cast of Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht take their bow, having performed the composer's last unperformed opera.
