ADRIANA MATER

About the show

Like father, like son…? In a world shaped by war, Kaija Saariaho’s opera, Adriana Mater finds hope where it seems impossible. Powerful and rarely staged, this ENO debut unites Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon and Music Director Designate André de Ridder in their first collaboration. Amid a brutal civil war, Adriana becomes pregnant following a violent assault by a soldier. She chooses to give birth to the child she conceives, naming her son Yonas and raising him with love and hope for the future, whilst shielding him from the truth about his father. Many years later the young man discovers the truth of his origin, and becomes consumed by the desire for revenge. In a gripping climax, Adriana tries to convince Yonas that true strength lies in mercy, not murder. And that, only by breaking the male cycle of violence, will they, and their country, truly be healed. Righting the wrongs of Tosca, Adriana Mater forms the second half of a bold narrative arc contributing to a season that brings stories of resistance, resilience, hope and what it means to be free.