A dark comedic opera thriller in three acts
Music and libretto by Mathias Halvorsen
Based on the original play by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers are invited to a remote island. A storm hits. One by one, they begin to die.
Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery is reimagined as a tightly paced chamber opera — suspenseful, darkly funny, and musically adventurous. The libretto stays close to Christie’s 1939 stage play, with its crisp, ironic dialogue and slow-turning screw of tension. The music follows suit: it begins in high spirits, full of sly nods and sharp contrasts, before tightening into something leaner, starker, and more horrifyingly driven.
The vocal writing spans genres. Five characters are written for operatic voices; the rest are designed for musical theatre singers or actors. This friction — between vocal styles, between formality and farce — is central to the sound of the piece (somewhere between opera and musical) – and to its humour.
Commissioned by Haugesund Kammeropera and Haugesund Teater, And Then There Were None premiered in 2023.
“The opera format intensifies the poignant atmosphere, but also amplifies the humor in the piece… The ambitions are high, and the result is quite impressive.”
— NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)
Duration: approx. 2 hours (3 acts)
Language: Norwegian
Cast: 7–10 performers (both classical & non- classical voices)
Orchestra: Chamber ensemble/variable
Choir: Optional (can be done by cast) & suited for amateurs
