"I left the concert in a state of wonder and excitement."
Last Friday saw the world premiere of Gaze for Gaze (Blik for Blik), Niels Rønsholdt's new experimental performance opera staged by art & music ensemble SCENATET. Some 200 guests attended the four sold-out concerts in Copenhagen during the weekend; among them Henrik Friis, classical music critic at Danish newspaper Politiken.
In his 5-star review of Gaze for Gaze, Friis writes of the "remarkable, fragile authenticity" invoked by Rønsholdt, who sang one of the leading parts himself.
"Gaze for Gaze truly was something else, and successful. Perhaps it was something like a slow, meditative mix of traditional Japanese Noh theatre, Danish pedagogy of the 1970s kind – asking everyone to join in, regardless of training – and curious minimalist avant-garde."
4 stars for Breathless Moment
Also included in the article is a 4-star review of Rønsholdt's recent app opera, Breathless Moment, developed in collaboration with visual artist Signe Klejs.
Henrik Friis is impressed with the "insanely fascinating visuals and music". He continues, "The world of Breathless Moment looks like noir comic book master Frank Miller’s Sin City dystopia, and Rønsholdt’s simple, repetitive music is hypnotically beautiful. Gloomy and otherworldly abstract – yet strangely relevant."