Fragment from the aria of the local priest, Peiper, from Brodeck (2021/2023), opera after "Le rapport de Brodeck" by Philippe Claudel.

Thomas Blondelle (tenor)
Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen conducted by Marit Strindlund
Recorded live at Opera Antwerp, 20/02/2024

Recording by VRT (Klara)

Text:

Mais il n’y a qu’un principe que je n’ai pas renié.
C’est celui du secret.
Le secret de la confession.

Je sais tout, Brodeck. Tout.
Et ce que ce « Tout » veut dire tu ne peux pas te l’imaginer...

Les hommes sont bizarres:
sans se poser de questions, ils commettent le pire puis ils viennent me voir
car il ne peuvent plus vivre avec le souvenir.
Je suis l’égout, Brodeck.
Dans mon cerveau, ils déversent toutes leurs sanies, toutes leurs ordures.
Puis repartent tout neufs et bien propres.
C’est parce qu'ils ont peur, Brodeck
qu’ils tolèrent mes sermons incohérents. C’est parce qu’ils ont peur de moi,
qu’ils tolèrent mes messes trouées de délires.

Vois-tu ce vin?
Avant la guerre, je ne buvais que de l’eau. et aujourd’hui ce vin est mon seul ami.
La guerre...
Un jour il m’a rendu visite.
Ca ne pouvait se terminer que comme cela, Brodeck.
L’Anderer était un miroir:
sans prononcer le moindre mot, il renvoyait à chacun son image.
Mais un miroir, Brodeck, ne peut que se briser!

English translation:

But there is only one principle that I have not renounced. 
It is that of secrecy. 
The secret of confession. 

I know everything, Brodeck. 
Everything. 
And what this 'Everything' means, you cannot imagine...

Men are strange: without asking questions, they commit the worst, and then they come to see me because they can no longer live with the memory. 
I am the sewer, Brodeck. In my mind, they pour all their filth, all their garbage. 
Then they leave, all fresh and clean again. 
It's because they are afraid, Brodeck, that they tolerate my incoherent sermons. 
It's because they are afraid of me that they tolerate my masses full of delusions.

Do you see this wine? 
Before the war, I only drank water. And today, this wine is my only friend. 
The war... 
One day, it visited me. It could only end like this, Brodeck. The Anderer was a mirror: without uttering a single word, he reflected each one's image. 
But a mirror, Brodeck, can only shatter!

Photo: Annemie Augustijns (OBV)

"Je sais Tout, Brodeck." Fragment from Brodeck (2021/2023) - T. Blondelle, M. Strindlund

Fragment from the Finale of Brodeck (2021/2023), opera after "Le rapport de Brodeck" by Philippe Claudel.

Werner Van Mechelen (Orschwir)
Damien Pass (Brodeck)

Chorus and orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen conducted by Marit Strindlund
Recorded live at Opera Antwerp, 20/02/2024

Recording by VRT (Klara)

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