Oscar Strasnoy: The challenge of new work, asking the public to maintain 'curiosity,' and the effort to take opera out of the 'museum'

Argentine composer Oscar Strasnoy believes opera "is so ridiculous that it only works when it laughs at itself," a principle he applies to his new work, "Dementia." Premiering at Teatro Colón, the opera uses parody to contrast the illusions of a couple at ages 25, 50, and 75, exploring how their aspirations evolved over time. Strasnoy, who is based in Germany and has an international career, described his approach as using "the only possible resource: parody."

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Opera is so ridiculous that it only works when it laughs at itself. That's why I use the only possible resource: parody.

The opera fulfills a specific commission requirement: its libretto was written by a living Argentine woman in Spanish. The task fell to Ariana Harwicz, known for novels like "Mátame, amor." The production also involves director Mariano Pensotti, who is responsible for the staging and scenic direction. Strasnoy was drawn to Harwicz's writing style, finding her language "interesting for a libretto." He noted the challenge of using Spanish, a common language, for opera, which often relies on an "artificial and affected" tongue where the language itself carries more weight than the narrative.

Strasnoy explained that the "normal" language of everyday life becomes artificial when sung. He finds humor in what he calls "absurdities" in Harwicz's text, comparing them to "Tourette's syndrome" but with images rather than curses. These elements, combined with characters who are often drunk and prone to macabre memories and obsessions, contribute to the opera's parodic and self-aware tone.

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It is difficult to write with a libretto in Spanish because it is a close and everyday language. It is the one we use to go to the supermarket or talk to an aunt.

"Dementia" is Strasnoy's third opera commissioned for an Argentine context. He hopes to pull opera out of what he calls the "museum" by embracing its inherent theatricality and self-parody. The production aims to engage audiences with contemporary themes and a fresh perspective on the operatic form, encouraging them to maintain their "curiosity" for new works.

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The author has an obsession with owls and in the middle of a dialogue tells you 'there are owls!' or 'the smell of trees!', absurd things that I like because they are like Tourette's syndrome.