Event info

Þögnin / The Silence is a new Icelandic opera by Helgi R. Ingvarsson and Árni Kristjánsson. The story is very personal, written by my friend and long-time collaborator Árni Kristjánsson. It covers many important, and often ignored, contemporary themes such as suppression, shame and the loneliness that comes with old age. Most importantly the story is about forgiveness and coming to terms with the past.

Synopsis: Hjálmar is an elderly widower who has lost touch with his children. We follow him for one day as he attends the funeral of Áróra, a woman he had a short-lived romance with half a century ago. As a part of entering marriage with Bára, Hjálmar swore not to contact his illegitimate son Almar and between them there has only been silence. Hjálmar knows he might run into Almar at the funeral, which he is keen to avoid as it would tear up some nasty old wounds, but Almar on the contrary wants to rebuild the bridge that was burned so many years ago. Is Hjálmar too set in his ways to patch things up and become part of a family once more?

Duration approx. 60 minutes

The show is in Icelandic.