Metamorphosis

'When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from restless dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had turned into a giant vermin.' It is the famous opening line of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, a classic of modern world literature. The sudden transformation of Gregor, who feels increasingly isolated and fights for his existence, eventually becomes fatal to him. What if people around you are suddenly disgusted with you and begin to see you as undesirable, despite all the sacrifices you have made for them?

This 1915 story is the inspiration for the handsome adaptation created by Maat Saxophone Quartet in co-production with the Diamond Factory, production house for contemporary musical theater. The virtual opera touches on interesting classical and current themes such as identity and loneliness, which have only gained significance in today's digital age.

Metamorphosis is a joint creation of composer Nuno Lobo, designer Pedro Lobo and theater-maker Sean Hauser. They quirky adapted Kafka's novella for the stage, but with a striking inversion: this time, to the disgust of his insect family, Gregor is transformed into a human being. The four saxophonists of Maat Saxophone Quartet take on the story's four dramatic roles. The texts of the "singing saxophones" are shown as subtitles to the surreal animation images. The struggle of main character Gregor is so aptly depicted - like a live score to a silent film.

Read NRC article Joep Stapel