There's a lot of craziness at the Opera

When opera singer Eir Inderhaug takes the stage at Intimsalen the production “I Am Lucia,” we get a glimpse into a singer’s reality and imagination. It is far from as glamorous as one might imagine.

– As an artist, you really just want to find the meaning of art. But then you have to deal with these claustrophobic hotel rooms, performance anxiety, and agents and conductors who have a different agenda than you do. Then you start to doubt. Is this art or an illusion? Is everything we’re doing just nonsense?

Eir Inderhaug is an artist and opera singer. Or is she? She hates being pigeonholed. And certainly not into the category that reduces her to just an opera singer. But when Kilden “I Am Lucia” on its intimate stage in January and February, Eir steps far beyond that box. Because this time, she is both a playwright and a stage actress in addition to being an opera singer.

– I don’t think anyone has ever done what I’m doing with *I Am Lucia*. I’m going to give the audience a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes and inside a singer’s head. I’m excited, but I have to conquer a few Mount Everests in my life—so it’s sink or swim.

Pumped breast milk in the bathroom

Eir laughs out loud and apologizes for swearing as she describes life behind the scenes—the part the audience never gets to see. That’s exactly what she wants to explore, and it’s the starting point for the show she’s been gestating longer than any of her three actual pregnancies.

– You know what? There’s so much madness in the opera world. And actually, it’s pretty sexist, too. I performed on the biggest opera stage in Munich and had to lock myself in a bathroom to pump breast milk while there was a long line outside. The management wasn’t interested in setting up a nursing room for me, because apparently that’s not something they do at the opera.

Eir has also given birth at work. Or at least almost.

– My son is from Trøndelag. Heh-heh. I didn’t make it back to Oslo after a performance, so I gave birth in Trondheim. But that’s just how it is in this business. There’s no point in taking several months of maternity leave, because then you’ll be forgotten or labeled as an unreliable choice, and they’ll just pick another singer instead.

Loves the demanding life of an artist

But Eir loves her job, and she doesn’t complain. She just wants people to know a little about what life as an opera singer is like when the stage lights go out.

– I’ve had this production inside me, and now I’m finally going to bring it to life. I’m so happy that Kilden me this opportunity, and that the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra is willing to perform this demanding music. I’ve chosen to use my own favorite repertoire and adapt it to the production.

Kilden be proud

Bentein Baardson is the former executive director of Kilden director of *I Am Lucia*. He says it is an exciting and unique project that he is delighted to be a part of. “I admire Eir’s talent and courage.” She is constantly breaking new ground and has an impressive artistic repertoire and range. She is in high demand both at home and abroad, and Kilden be proud that she chose Opera Sør as the venue for her project.”

Inspired by the world-famous opera *
* *Lucia di Lammermoor* is a world-famous Italian opera from 1835. Several of opera history’s greatest sopranos have portrayed Lucia, and the role is considered one of the greatest and most demanding, especially because of the fifteen-minute-long mad scene just before Lucia dies. Eir drew inspiration from this opera when she wrote her own play. – Lucia is a victim of a series of men’s self-interest. She is used and manipulated into betraying herself and doing things she doesn’t really want to do. Then reality becomes too difficult for her, and she chooses to live in an illusion, because in that illusion she can love. There is a lot in Lucia that speaks to me,” admits Eir.

No autobiography
Eir dreams of finding meaning in her own existence through the performance, but emphasizes that *I Am Lucia* is by no means an autobiography. Or pure opera, for that matter. – No, I don’t like these labels, and the performance doesn’t fit into any label either. It’s a bit of everything, and you don’t have to be particularly fond of opera to see it. I actually think many people will recognize a bit of themselves in it. Eir is both dreading and looking forward to it. She stands
on stage in character, but the performance shifts between reality and illusion, and sometimes it might not be so easy to tell which is which. On stage, she is joined by actor Even Rasmussen, who constantly messes things up in the universe of Eir’s character.

– It’s going to be a huge physical and musical challenge. Every performance is like a marathon, but I’ve wanted to do this for so long. Now I’m doing it. After all, it’s better to just go for it than to regret not having the courage to try, concludes
Eir Inderhaug.