Rumpel

We join Rumpel on the eve of becoming a father. Not everything is going to plan. But a deal is a deal, and Rumpel will have to decide what sort of man he wants to become.

Rumpel is the story of a man’s yearning to become a father. It weaves the mundane and the magical around themes of loneliness, masculinity, hope and compassion.

Rumpel lives in a hyper-normal Australian red-brick home. Each day is much like the last, but within the quiet walls of his house, he is preparing for something, something wonderful: a baby.

Piled high in his spotless kitchen and scattered across his neat living room are boxes upon boxes of baby paraphernalia; the latest gadgets, anything and everything that might help him. He is driven by a deep determination to avoid repeating the mistakes of his own childhood, to be a better father than his dad was. More than that, he strives to be the best dad in the world.

But what does that mean?

This conflict between childhood and adulthood, man and boy, strength and sensitivity, feminine and masculine forms the central tension of Rumpel. The countertenor voice shifts between two distinct registers: one high and ethereal, the other strong and grounded.

This original operatic work, composed by Jabra Latham, is written specifically for the countertenor voice and demonstrates that this unique vocal range can extend beyond the traditional European classical canon to contribute meaningfully to the contemporary Australian cultural landscape.

Creative Team

NICHOLAS TOLPUTT : Writer/Creator

“Rumpel rests at a crucial juncture in my career. Accumulating a lifetime of experiences in opera, music and storytelling, this project is a chance to take the next step and take creative control of a project and idea. Rumpel represents that future for me. It is a distillation of themes such as fatherhood, masculinity, isolation, and hope, that are close to my identity as a performer and now as a writer.

I want to contribute something to the artistic life of this country. As a young countertenor, I hunted for Australian repertoire written for my voice type. I poured through music libraries and contacted composers and other singers, trying to find pieces that had been written with my voice in mind, but found no single Australian operatic work for countertenor. I want to change that. I want this piece to generate momentum in creating a space for the unique qualities of the countertenor voice to shine. I want young countertenors to know that they can say more with their voice than what the traditional European classical canon holds for them. That they can contribute to a community of Australian artists and that their voices are not museum pieces. They are part of the living cultural landscape of Australia.”

AMANDA HODDER : Writer/Creator

“As a trained classical pianist, I have spent the majority of my professional life working with singers of all backgrounds. I have always been drawn to working with singers because of my own lifelong interest in interrogating the intersect between text and music. One of the driving questions in all of my work to this point has been “what is the music telling us here that the character is struggling to reveal?”

I have spent the last 20 years working with dramaturgs and actors in creating new theatre works. In this field I have referred to myself as a “music dramaturg”, often working with composers to ensure that the music being created advances the text and the story held within.

Creating the libretto for Rumpel will be the realisation of a lifetime of encouragement, study and philosophy; it is time for me to step more deeply into the role of key creator and developer.”

JABRA LATHAM : Composer

“I’m really quite quite thrilled to be included in this project and tasked with realising the music for their vision. I’ve worked with Amanda for many years as a composer and performer. We have a working relationship built on skill, musicianship, enthusiasm, mutual capacities for nutting through complex ideas, respect for (and participation in) all sorts of music, and humour. Amanda is a killer visionary and pianist, with accompaniment and vocal coaching skills that leave her associate artists wanting for nothing. Nicholas is a stunner of a vocalist, and wonderful human, who is a dream for a composer to work with. His musical and technical capacities are quite incredible, underpinned by a great synergy of intelligent informed thought and artistic instinct. Nick’s combination of brilliance and humility is a rare pairing that makes developing music together so much more fruitful. Building something like Rumpel from the ground up needs a reciprocal, safe, adventurous, flexible and hardworking team. Nick is so open and able when it comes to me as composer experimenting with his vocals.

Rumpel is a project that explores some important and profound themes whilst also creating new art music repertoire. I can attest to the vision, commitment and hard work (much that’s already been done!) that Amanda & Nick are investing in the show.”

BEN WINSPEAR : Dramaturg/Director

“I am delighted to be attached as dramaturg for the development stages of Rumpel with Amanda Hodder and Nicholas Tolputt. Having collaborated on previous works and during the early devising week through RAWspace, I am very much looking forward to the future of this project. I strongly believe in the potential of the work and in the aims of these artists at the top of their respective powers. Rumpel signals a new and exciting direction for both Amanda and Nicholas, and I am delighted to be included in the creative circle of this important new work.”