Poul Ruders – Paul Bentley
The Handmaid’s Tale
Blessed be the fruit – of resistance
A global environmental catastrophe has rendered humanity almost completely infertile. On the pretext of this crisis, a group of religious fanatics have seized power, and the Christian theocracy of Gilead has been founded on the ruins of the United States. The new regime has enslaved fertile women as reproductive vessels for the ruling elite. Rebellion is punishable by death, but the Handmaid Offred is determined to return to her family.
Based on the classic novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood (1939–), The Handmaid’s Tale is a shocking portrayal of the cruelty of patriarchal totalitarianism, yet also a story of resistance and hope. The opera, which had its successful world premiere more than 25 years ago, feels astonishingly current today. Poul Ruders’ powerful and multifaceted composition draws inspiration from a broad spectrum of music, including spirituals. The chilling libretto, which closely follows the original story, is by Paul Bentley.
”The opera is a hard-to-swallow must-see piece for its cautionary tale about women’s rights — and human rights — but be prepared for many uncomfortable moments.”
– Oregon artswatch
Tickets and performances
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Video: The Royal Danish Theatre.
synopsis
Prologue
As they were attempting to leave the USA, a woman is separated from her husband and daughter. She is taken to the Red Centre where she participates in classes alongside other women who proved themselves fertile in the past. Her friend Moira is among them and she meets Janine. Janine breaks down, imagining she is back in the time before the revolution. The handmaids graduate from the Red Centre and are sent to their first postings.
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Act I
A few years later the Handmaid, who has not yet produced a child, transfers to her third posting, where she is known as Offred (Of Fred), after the Commander of the house. She recognizes his wife as Serena Joy, who was a television Gospel singer before the revolution. She meets the servant members of the household: Nick and Rita.
Memories of her life before the revolution when she met Luke, fell in love, and had a daughter are ever present in Offred’s mind. She remembers her mother’s frustrated warnings about the need to keep fighting for hard-won rights and freedoms.
Offred goes shopping, paired with another Handmaid, Ofglen. They meet Janine, now called Ofwarren, who is heavily pregnant. When Offred visits the doctor, she rejects his offer to impregnate her. At home, Nick attempts to talk to Offred and the Commander enters her bedroom–both are illegal acts. Offred undergoes her monthly ritual impregnation. Afterwards, Nick tells her that the Commander wants to see her privately, which is strictly forbidden.
At the Red Centre, Wives, Commanders, Aunts, and Handmaids gather for the birthing ritual, and Janine/Ofwarren’s baby is born.
Back home, Offred visits the Commander in his office at night.
Act II
Next morning, Rita finds Offred lying motionless and panics. The Commander caresses Offred during a ritual impregnation. She is terrified Serena Joy noticed and that Offred will be sent to the colonies. Offred and Ofglen go prayer-shopping. Offred learns that there is an underground movement whose code-word is Mayday but she is too frightened to help them. Janine/Ofwarren, whose baby was euthanized due to deformities, breaks down again and is taken away to be killed.
Offred’s secret visits to the Commander continue. He brings her gifts and explains things to her: why Rita reacted as she did – the previous Handmaid posted here had killed herself.
Desperate for a child, Serena Joy bribes Offred to try getting pregnant by Nick. The bribe is a recent photo of Offred’s missing daughter.
The Commander smuggles Offred into Jezebel’s, a private brothel for top-ranking men in Gilead. She meets Moira there.
Back home, Offred and Nick make love.
Wives and Handmaids gather to witness and participate in the hanging of ‘criminals’ at a Salvaging event. The second part of the event is a Particicution where Handmaids are required to destroy a ‘rapist’. Ofglen starts by kicking him unconscious to spare him pain–he was in fact a fellow member of the underground movement.
Offred finds she has a new shopping partner; she never again meets the former Ofglen, who has killed herself rather than be exposed as part of the resistance. Serena Joy has learned about Offred’s liaisons with the Commander. The police arrive to arrest Offred and to take her from the house. Nick tells her to trust them–that they are from the resistance and that she should go with them, but she is unsure what her fate will be.
Gallery
A feminist dystopia
Creative team
- Music
- Poul Ruders
- Libretto
- Paul Bentley
- Director
- John Fulljames
- Apulaisohjaaja
- Lucy Bradley
- Set Design
- Chloe Lamford
- Costume Design
- Christina Cunningham
- Lighting Design
- Fabiana Piccioli
- Choreography
- Lidia Wos
- Video Design
- Will Duke
- Conductor
- Karen Kamensek
The production has been rented from The Royal Danish Theatre.
Cast
- Doctor
- NN NN
Performance-specific soloists are published in the performance listing.
Listen to the handmaid’s tale
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The keys to an entertaining evening
The performance takes place on our Main Stage, which has no fewer than 1,300 seats in its auditorium. Please note that the 3rd balcony is very high up. It provides an impressive view, but the front-row seats on this level may not suit those with a fear of heights. Explore the Main Stage and find out more about where to sit. You can also compare the view from different parts of the auditorium.
Price categories: Seats in the auditorium are priced according to the view of the stage and divided into eight price categories (A–H). In addition to seat location, the price is affected by the performance date and demand. Only standard-priced tickets are available in the lowest price categories (F–H).
Discounts
Discounts are available for selected productions, performances, and seats in the Stalls and the 1st and 2nd Balconies, unless otherwise indicated.
- Pensioners: €10 discount per ticket for selected seats in the Stalls and the 1st Balcony. The discount is available to all holders of the card for national pension recipients and anyone aged 65 or over.
- Students, military and non-military servicemen: 40% discount on the full ticket price.
- Children and those aged 20 and under: 40–50% discount on the full ticket price.
- Same-day tickets: A special rate of €30 per ticket is available for those aged 20 and under, students, military and non-military servicemen, the unemployed, and pensioners. The discount applies to seats in the Stalls, no earlier than 12 hours before the performance and subject to availability.
Please note that full-price and concessionary tickets for under-20s, students, and pensioners can be exchanged in our online store free of charge up to 24 hours before the performance. The value of the ticket(s) is credited to your customer account for later use.
Children and young people up to the age of 20 are eligible for a 40–50% discount on ticket prices.
Please note that children under the age of 5 are not admitted to Main Stage performances. The age recommendation for each production can be found at the top of its dedicated page.
For the best view, we recommend seats in the front Stalls or the centre of the 1st Balcony. If you’re unsure which seats would be most suitable, our customer service team will be happy to help you find the best options.
To ensure an enjoyable and memorable visit, see our Visiting with children page for more tips.
You can easily purchase accessible seats either through our online store or customer service. On the auditorium map, you can check the locations of accessible seats in the Main Stage auditorium (pdf). The accessible seats are marked with wheelchair icons to make choosing your seat easier.
Read more detailed instructions for purchasing accessible seats and ensure your visit is effortlessly enjoyable from start to finish.
The programme booklet provides background information about the production, its creators, and the story. It is published on the day of the premiere and can be purchased before the performance from the customer service desk in the Töölönlahti lobby, the sales desk at the Mannerheimintie entrance, all open counters of the Opera Restaurant, and selected members of our lobby staff. The price of the programme booklet is €7.
You can also buy the programme booklet in advance from our customer service desk or online via the Order refreshments page. See more detailed instructions here on how to purchase the programme booklet on the Order refreshments page.
The digital cast details for each opera and ballet, including the evening’s cast and creative team, are published online no later than on the day of the performance (please note that the link opens in a separate window). Cast details are also available on the displays and touch screens in the foyers, as well as under the My events tab in the mobile app.
Enhance your experience with refreshments. You can enjoy refreshments before the performance or during the interval. We recommend placing your order in advance, either through our online store or by calling our customer service. If tables are still available, online sales close no later than 24 hours before the performance.
Using the Opera&Ballet mobile app, you can order interval refreshments to a pick-up counter until shortly before the performance begins. Learn more about pick-up orders.
The Opera House is located by Töölönlahti bay. Our address is Helsinginkatu 58, which is well served by public transport.
The main entrance on the Mannerheimintie side usually opens 1.5 hours before the start of a Main Stage performance. Please make sure you arrive in good time, at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. Latecomers are only admitted after the interval so as not to disturb the performance.
How to dress for the performance? Can I wear perfume? Do I need to pay for the cloakroom? Find answers to these questions and more on our Tips for visitors page. We have put together a comprehensive guide to help make your visit to the Opera House a success.