Scenes from a Marriage + Introduction
On the occasion of the premiere of Bluebeard's Castle, a new opera by Opera Zuid, Lumière will screen Ingmar Bergman's iconic mini-series Scenes from a Marriage. Prior to the screening of the series, assistant director Joep Hupperetz will give a short introduction about her upcoming production and how he found inspiration in Bergman's series.
About the relationship between the opera and the film
‘How much truth can love bear?’ This question/expression is central to both Béla Bartók's BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE (1911) and Ingmar Bergman's SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (1973). Although these works originated in different eras and art forms, they share an intense focus on the complexity of the human psyche and marriage. Both works invite the audience to reflect on the role of trust, secrets and the deep, often unfathomable layers of human relationships. Bergman's miniseries was therefore the perfect inspiration for Kenza Koutchoukali's directing concept for BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE. She made the Hungarian symbolism laden libretto into a modern relationship drama in the style of Bergman.
In an introduction, the assistant director Joep Hupperetzwill further explain how Bergman's miniseries inspired the opera.
Scenes from a Marriage (Miniseries)
Iconic and epic television series by Ingmar Bergman about the demise of the ‘ideal’ marriage of teacher Johan and lawyer Marianne – a stellar performance by Liv Ullmann.
Johan and Marianne are married and seem to have it all. However, their happiness is a facade for a troubled relationship, which becomes even more shaky when Johan admits to having an affair. All stages of their disintegrating relationship are examined: from marriage to infidelity and from divorce to subsequent partnerships. In typical Bergman style, the director delves into the big existential questions: what does it mean to be ‘fulfilled’? How does one validate the other in a relationship ? And what is love anyway?
Although Ingmar Bergman also cut SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE into a film version in 1974, the project began in 1973 as a six-part miniseries intended for television. This version is, according to the film's director himself, the only correct version. Director Sean Baker (THE FLORIDA PROJECT, ANORA), who included SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE in his top ten films ever, is equally adamant in his preference for the series. The timeless project's is still a big influence to filmmakers today: think of 2019's MARRIAGE STORY by Noah Baumbach or the 2021 US remake of the series.