- Year of composition: 2023
- Work category: Opera, one act
- Text author: Tor Lind
- First performed: 24 November 2023, Grünewaldsalen, Konserthuset Stockholm, Ny fredag. Magdalena Risberg, soprano; Sonanza, conductor Jan Risberg.
- Duration: 19 min
Instrumentation
1*01*0, 0000, percussion, piano, strings 1–1–1–1–1
Solo voices/choir
Soprano
Location for score and part material
Gehrmans Musikförlag
Description of work
Work for Soprano and 1*01*0, 0000, percussion, piano, strings 1–1–1–1–1.
Links
https://www.benjaminstaern.se/?page_id=8183
Work comment
Det svältande hjärtat (The Starving Heart) is a monodrama in four scenes and an epilogue for soprano and chamber ensemble. Composed in 2023 to a Swedish libretto by Tor Lind, it brings a single vocal part into a chamber music setting.
The instrumental ensemble combines flute, clarinet, percussion and piano with five individual string parts. This compact instrumentation offers a varied palette of wind, string and percussion colours around the soprano voice. The four scenes and concluding epilogue give the work a clearly defined dramatic framework.
The world premiere took place in the Grünewald Hall at Konserthuset Stockholm as part of the series Ny fredag, with Magdalena Risberg and Sonanza conducted by Jan Risberg. The live recording below documents that first performance.