A mysterious event forms the basis of this chamber opera: in December 1900, three lighthouse keepers disappeared under mysterious circumstances in north-west Scotland. They were doing their duty on the Flannan Islands lighthouse, the logbook entries were unremarkable, but suddenly broke off. When a supply ship called at the lighthouse to bring provisions and replace part of the crew as usual, the arriving sailors found the lighthouse completely empty. To this day, assumptions and myths surround the question of how the three men disappeared: did one kill the other two, throw them into the sea - and jump after them? Was a natural event the cause of a tragic accident that killed everyone? Were they abducted by aliens?
The British composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016), who is one of the most important contemporary composers, offers no solution to the riddle in his version of the events, which premiered in 1980. Rather, he uses the story, which he deliberately deviates from the original events in small details, in order to provide insights into the psyche of those involved. He contrasts the three lighthouse keepers and their everyday life with three officers who find the empty lighthouse and report on their experiences. With this change of perspective between the outside view and the inside view of what is happening, he plumbs the depths of the human soul. The music not only reflects the inner worlds of the protagonists, but also traces the natural phenomena. That's The Lighthousea musical thriller that stays suspenseful until the last minute.
Mark Valencia:
Orchestration for instruments such as the flexaton and an out-of-tune piano sets storm, terror and impending death against infectious melodic interludes and tranquil imagery of tea and cards.
