--- english version below ---

Oliver, du gibst dein Debüt in Bremen mit der Partie von Robert R. Wilson in Doctor Atomic. Ist das ein anderes Gefühl, eine historische Person zu verkörpern und ihr die Stimme zu leihen?

Oliver Sewell: Ja. Es ist spannend auf zwei verschiedene Weisen. Erstens stammt der Hauptteil des Textes aus Interviews mit Robert Wilson, die für einen Dokumentarfilm gemacht wurden (der Titel ist The Day after Trinity). Es ist interessant und merkwürdig zugleich, wenn ich ihm dabei zu sehe, wie er das, was ich singe, mit seiner eigenen Stimme und seiner eigenen Körpersprache ausdrückt. Zweitens unterscheidet sich unsere Inszenierung sehr vom realen Leben, das macht es auch schwierig, eine historische Person zu spielen. Es ist eine große Herausforderung, zu wissen, wie Robert Wilson sich bewegte, gesprochen hat und ihn in unserer Inszenierung darzustellen.  

Wenn ich von außen auf die Oper sehe, finde ich schon sehr viele aktuelle Bezüge, wie zum Beispiel die Frage, welche Verantwortung die Wissenschaft hat. Spielen solche Fragen auch für dich und deine Performance eine Rolle?

Oliver Sewell: Ich schätze, das muss es, denn unsere Inszenierung setzt den Schwerpunkt auf diese Frage. Noch dazu beschäftigt sich Wilson, also meine Rolle, sehr mit dieser Frage, er kämpft sehr damit, eine Antwort darauf zu finden. Es ist eigentlich unmöglich, nicht darüber nachzudenken.  

Du stehst jetzt zum ersten Mal hier bei uns auf der Bühne – seit wann bist du denn in Bremen?

Oliver Sewell: Erst seit einem Monat, das ist alles noch sehr frisch.

Warst du schon mal in Deutschland?

Oliver Sewell: Zwei Mal. Letztes Jahr für das Vorsingen am Theater Bremen und das erste Mal habe ich mit 17 einen Schüleraustausch gemacht und war einen Monat in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Eigentlich habe ich in der Schule aber nur Deutsch als Fach gewählt, damit ich an dem Austausch teilnehmen kann, gelernt habe ich die Sprache nicht. Das bereue ich jetzt. Aber ich hatte eine gute Zeit damals in Ahaus, Nordrhein-Westfalen …

Geboren bist du in Neuseeland, wo du auch studiert hast, bis du in die USA gewechselt bist, an die Manhattan School of Music, wo du übrigens Hidenori Inoue, der auch zu unserem Ensemble gehört, kennengelernt hast.  Du warst drei Jahre in New York und hast dann noch drei Jahre an der Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia studiert. Was hast du nach dem Studium gemacht?

Oliver Sewell: In meinem letzten Studienjahr hat die Pandemie begonnen. Meine Frau und ich wolten nach London gehen. Aber wir haben uns dann entschlossen lieber wieder nach Hause, nach Neuseeland zu gehen, als während der Pandemie in ein neues Land zu ziehen. Ich konnte auch in dieser Zeit ziemlich viel auftreten, nur ein paar Veranstaltungen mussten wegen der Pandemie abgesagt werden, da hatte ich schon ziemlich Glück.  

Wann hast du dich entschieden, Opernsänger zu werden?

Oliver Sewell: Ich weiß nicht, ob ich mich jemals dafür entschieden habe. Es gab jetzt nicht einen entscheidenden Moment. Es kam so mit der Zeit. Vielleicht habe ich mich einfach nie dagegen entschieden …

In den Feuilletons wird gelegentlich diskutiert, ob die Oper tot ist. Du hast dich gerade für die Oper entschieden – was denkst du, was ist ihr Potential, wie bleibt sie lebendig?

Oliver Sewell: Die Kraft der Oper liegt, denke ich, in dem Effekt, den der Operngesang auf das Publikum hat. In ihm drücken sich Emotionen auf eine tiefe, einzigartige, wesentliche und doch einfache Weise aus. Die Zukunft der Oper liegt also darin, dass das anerkannt und gefördert wird. Die Stimme ist der Weg.

Ich glaube, viele Menschen können sich gar nicht so recht vorstellen, was man außer proben und Vorstellungen singen so macht: Aber die Stimme muss ja trainiert werden, oder? Wie sieht dein Alltag aus?

Oliver Sewell: Ich gewöhne mich erst an den deutschen Probenplan, Morgenproben kenne ich nicht. Jetzt studiere ich meine Musik am Morgen, gehe dann zur Probe und habe den Nachmittag frei. Abends gehe ich wieder zur Probe. Das ist ganz in Ordnung, im Moment vermisse ich nur eines: Zeit zum Kochen zu haben, das mache ich nämlich sehr gern.

Wenn du auf die kommenden Jahre hier in Bremen schaust, was erhoffst du dir dann?

Oliver Sewell: Professionell gesehen, möchte ich mich in Europa besser etablieren. Persönlich freue ich mich darauf, eine andere Kultur kennenzulernen und neue Menschen.

 

--- english version ---

He ist making his debut at Theater Bremen with <i>Doctor Atomic</i>: the New Zealand tenor has only been in Bremen for a month. Diana König, press spokeswoman of the theater, met him.

Oliver, you are making your Bremen debut with the role of Robert R. Wilson in Doctor Atomic. Is that a different feeling to embody a historical person and lend him your voice?

Oliver Sewell: Yes. It is interesting in two ways. Firstly, for the most part Robert’s text is taken from interviews that were filmed for a documentary (called The day after Trinity). So it is very interesting and strange to watch the character saying the lines that I’m singing in the opera with his voice, his body language and expressions. Secondly, our production differs from real life, which makes it difficult to play a historical person. So knowing how Robert Wilson really was and how he said his lines in comparison with how we are presenting the opera, makes it a unique challenge.

When I look at the opera from the outside, I find a lot of current reference points such as the question of responsibility in science. Do such questions influence your performance?

Oliver Sewell: I suppose they have to, because the way we are presenting the opera I feel we are putting a magnifying glass on this question. And in particular, my character is very much struggling with this question and the ethics involved.

This is your first time on stage with us - how long have you actually been in Bremen?

Oliver Sewell: I’ve been in Bremen for one month now, it is all very fresh still.

Have you been to Germany before?

Oliver Sewell: Twice. Last year for my audition at Theater Bremen and firstly at the age of 17, I spent one month in Northrhine-Westphalie as part of a school exchange. To be honest, I only chose german class in school to be allowed to make this trip, without ever putting any efforts in learning german, which I do regret now. But I had a great time in Ahaus, Northrhine-Westphalia…

You were born in New Zealand, and studied there until you moved to the United States, joining the Manhattan School of Music – where you met Hidenori Inoue, who is now part of our opera ensemble, too. You then spent three years in New York and three years in Philadelphia, where you were studying at the Academy of Vocal Arts. What did you do after you finished studying?

Oliver Sewell: In my final year at the Academy of Vocal Arts the pandemic started and my wife and I were planning on moving to London. Rather than moving countries during the pandemic we moved back home to New Zealand. I was able to perform quite a lot in New Zealand during this time and only a few of my performances were cancelled over the whole pandemic which was very lucky and quite unique.

When did you decide to become an opera singer?

Oliver Sewell: I don’t know if I ever did. At least there was not this one decisive moment. Maybe it was more like slowly developing over time. I never decided not to be …

There is currently a debate in the feuilletons as to whether opera is dead. You have just chosen opera - what do you think is its potential and how does it stay alive?

Oliver Sewell: For me the power of opera lies in the power of the human voice when using operatic vocal production. This communicates emotions in a unique, deep, profound and simple way to an audience. So I think that opera needs to acknowledge this unique aspect of opera to secure its future: making the magic of operatic voice production the path to securing its future.

A lot of people probably can't really imagine what you do apart from rehearsals and performances: For example, you have to constantly train your voice, don’t you? What does your everyday life look like?

Oliver Sewell: I'm just getting used to the German rehearsal schedule, I don't know morning rehearsals. Now I study my music in the morning, then go to rehearsal and have the afternoon free. In the evening I go to rehearsal again. That's fine, at the moment I only miss one thing: having time to cook, because that's what I love to do.

Looking at the coming years here in Bremen, what do you hope for?

Oliver Sewell: Professionally, I want to become better established in Europe. Personally, I am looking forward to getting to know another culture and new people.

He ist making his debut at Theater Bremen with <i>Doctor Atomic</i>: the New Zealand tenor has only been in Bremen for a month. Diana König, press spokeswoman of the theater, met him.

Oliver, you are making your Bremen debut with the role of Robert R. Wilson in Doctor Atomic. Is that a different feeling to embody a historical person and lend him your voice?

Oliver Sewell: Yes. It is interesting in two ways. Firstly, for the most part Robert’s text is taken from interviews that were filmed for a documentary (called The day after Trinity). So it is very interesting and strange to watch the character saying the lines that I’m singing in the opera with his voice, his body language and expressions. Secondly, our production differs from real life, which makes it difficult to play a historical person. So knowing how Robert Wilson really was and how he said his lines in comparison with how we are presenting the opera, makes it a unique challenge.

When I look at the opera from the outside, I find a lot of current reference points such as the question of responsibility in science. Do such questions influence your performance?

Oliver Sewell: I suppose they have to, because the way we are presenting the opera I feel we are putting a magnifying glass on this question. And in particular, my character is very much struggling with this question and the ethics involved.

This is your first time on stage with us - how long have you actually been in Bremen?

Oliver Sewell: I’ve been in Bremen for one month now, it is all very fresh still.

Have you been to Germany before?

Oliver Sewell: Twice. Last year for my audition at Theater Bremen and firstly at the age of 17, I spent one month in Northrhine-Westphalie as part of a school exchange. To be honest, I only chose german class in school to be allowed to make this trip, without ever putting any efforts in learning german, which I do regret now. But I had a great time in Ahaus, Northrhine-Westphalia…

You were born in New Zealand, and studied there until you moved to the United States, joining the Manhattan School of Music – where you met Hidenori Inoue, who is now part of our opera ensemble, too. You then spent three years in New York and three years in Philadelphia, where you were studying at the Academy of Vocal Arts. What did you do after you finished studying?

Oliver Sewell: In my final year at the Academy of Vocal Arts the pandemic started and my wife and I were planning on moving to London. Rather than moving countries during the pandemic we moved back home to New Zealand. I was able to perform quite a lot in New Zealand during this time and only a few of my performances were cancelled over the whole pandemic which was very lucky and quite unique.

When did you decide to become an opera singer?

Oliver Sewell: I don’t know if I ever did. At least there was not this one decisive moment. Maybe it was more like slowly developing over time. I never decided not to be …

There is currently a debate in the feuilletons as to whether opera is dead. You have just chosen opera - what do you think is its potential and how does it stay alive?

Oliver Sewell: For me the power of opera lies in the power of the human voice when using operatic vocal production. This communicates emotions in a unique, deep, profound and simple way to an audience. So I think that opera needs to acknowledge this unique aspect of opera to secure its future: making the magic of operatic voice production the path to securing its future.

A lot of people probably can't really imagine what you do apart from rehearsals and performances: For example, you have to constantly train your voice, don’t you? What does your everyday life look like?

Oliver Sewell: I'm just getting used to the German rehearsal schedule, I don't know morning rehearsals. Now I study my music in the morning, then go to rehearsal and have the afternoon free. In the evening I go to rehearsal again. That's fine, at the moment I only miss one thing: having time to cook, because that's what I love to do.

Looking at the coming years here in Bremen, what do you hope for?

Oliver Sewell: Professionally, I want to become better established in Europe. Personally, I am looking forward to getting to know another culture and new people.