Ástin ein taugahrúga, enginn dans við Ufsaklett
Is a chambre opera for a mezzo soprano and a cellist
"We go to a dance
where I ponder a proposal
when I remember
my propensity for psychosis
so I let it rest..."
LETTER FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM
The poet Elísabet Jökuls invites you in for tea, and an opera is born... or something like that. At least, that is how this adventure begins.
In 2015, Tinna knocked on the door of a renowned author in Reykjavík. She intended to buy the author’s latest poetry book— "Ástin ein taugahrúga enginn dans við Ufsaklett," or "Love: A Nervous Breakdown, No Dance by Ufsaklettur" —as a birthday present for a friend, and perhaps get it signed. The author—Elísabet Jökulsdóttir, of course—invited her into her magical home and offered her tea. When Elísabet learned that her guest was a singer, she invited her to improvise a melody for one of the poems in the book—and in doing so, discovered that this was no ordinary poetry book; it was an opera libretto!
That is how the seed was sown, though it was not until several years later that the sapling began to bloom. In 2020, the idea was reborn; Spindrift Theatre took on the project, and the right collaborators began to appear.
Staging a new opera is a massive undertaking, and the first step was to present a work-in-progress in the form of a concert performance. The group received a grant for the project, and the concert performance premiered at Mengi during the Dark Music Days festival in 2023, followed by a performance later that year in the Norðurljós Hall at Harpa, in collaboration with the Reykjavík Opera Days festival.
However, the work was not yet complete, and the time has now come to premiere the finished version.
We are opening the doors of Tjarnarbíó and inviting the audience into Elísabet’s kitchen, where she tells us her story in her own unique way.
We wish to thank everyone who helped make this opera production possible. Above all, we want to thank Elísabet Jökuls for writing this magnificent book, for trusting us and allowing us to play around with her text—and for her ongoing literary inspirations.
Just imagine all the magic and works of art that can emerge from a single book of poetry!
Tinna Þorvalds Önnudóttir and Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir, two of the artistic directors of Spindrift Theatre.
THE SHOW
"Love: A Nervous Breakdown, No Dance by Ufsaklettur" is a chambre opera for a mezzo soprano and a cellist composed by Anna Halldórsdóttir to the poetry of Elísabet Jökulsdóttir from the book with the same name.
What will a woman do to belong? To fit in, to feel accepted?
The story follows the inner journey of a woman and the battle of the dream and the reality. This battle is mirrored in a violent relationship from beginning to end and we wonder: What makes a “real woman” - and where is the key to everything?
TJARNARBÍÓ
19th September 2026
Saturday 8pm
Premiere
27th September 2026
Sunday 8pm
2nd Performance
8th October
Thursday 8pm
3rd Performance
CREATIVE TEAM
Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir
DIRECTOR & DRAMATURG
Anna Halldórsdóttir
MUSIC DIRECTOR & DRAMATURG
Juliette Louste
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Sara Hjördís Blöndal
COSTUME & SET DESIGNER
Tinna Þorvalds Önnudóttir
MEZZO-SOPRANO & DRAMATURG
Júlía Mogensen
CELLIST
Elísabet Kristín Jökulsdóttir
AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
Nanna Gunnarsdóttir & Spindrift PRODUCERS
Louis Crevier
POSTER DESIGN
Sóley Þorvaldsdóttir
POSTER PHOTOGRAPHY
Kristín Edda Gylfadóttir
CREATIVE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHY
SPECIAL THANKS
Anna Atladóttir
Anna Kristmundsdóttir
Anton Helgi Jónsson
Ari Hróðmarsson
Arnar Hauksson
Arndis Inga Magnusdottir
Ágústa Skúladóttir
Árni Pétur Reynisson
Ása Helga Ragnarsdóttir
Ásta Ragnheiður Júlíusdóttir
Baldvin Einarsson
Barnaby Walters
Bergljót Arnalds
Birna Pétursdóttir
Bjork Nielsdottir
Björg Ólínudóttir
Björn Thorarensen
Daníel B. Björgvinsson
Dóra Wild
Einar Örn
Elfur Sunna Baldursdóttir
Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir
Elka Halldórsdóttir
Erla Vogler
Eva Bjarnadóttir
Eva H. Önnudóttir
Eva Ingvadottir
Fanney Einarsdóttir
Fríða Bonnie Andersen
Gísli Þór Sigurþórsson
Guðbjörg Árnadóttir
Guðrún Álfheiður Thorarensen
Guðrún Björk Jónsdóttir
Guðrún Jóhanna Ólafsdóttir
Gunna Lára Pálmadóttir
Gunnlaugur Bjarnason
Halldóra Þöll Þorsteins
Hallveig Rúnarsdóttir
Heiða Árnadóttir
Helga Óskarsdóttir
Helga Pálína Brynjólfsdóttir
Helgi Þór Jónsson
Hlín Leifsdóttir
Hólmfríður Jónsdóttir
Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir
Hrafnhildur Theodórsdóttir
Hróðmar I. Sigurbjörnsson
Hrönn Þráinsdóttir
Hugrún Margrét
Hædý Björnsdóttir
Ingi Rafn Sigurðsson
Ingunn Ósk Árnadóttir
Íris Ellenberger
Jóhann Sigurður Þorsteinsson
Jóhanna Jónasdóttir
Jón Páll Helgason
Jóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir
Jónas Sen
Jósa Goodlife
Kristin Osk Ingvarsdottir
Kristín Bjarnadóttir
Kristín Edda Gylfadóttir
Kristín Sveinsdóttir
Kristín Valsdóttir
Lilja Björk Kristinsdóttir
Margrét Arnardóttir
Margrét Blöndal
Margrét Hrafnsdóttir
María Guðmundsdóttir
María Jónsdóttir
María Konráðsdóttir
María Pálsdóttir
Nanna Gunnars
Nýi Tónlistarskólinn
Oliver Kentish
Pétur Magnússon
Pétur Oddbergur Heimisson
Rán Tryggvadóttir
Rebekka Magnúsdóttir
Sigríður Ása Júlíusdóttir
Sigrún Ólafsdóttir
Sigrún Steinsdóttir
Sigurbjörg Magnúsdóttir
Sigurlína Pech
Silja Aðalsteinsdóttir
Sirrý Sif Sigurlaugardóttir
Soffia Audur Birigsdóttir
Soffía Thorarensen
Sólrún Freyja Sen
Sólveig Eva Magnúsdóttir
Steve Kipling
Teja Goli
Tomas Ponzi
Unnur Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir
Urður Norðdahl
Valdís Arnardóttir
Þorvaldur Þorvaldsson
Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir
Þórey Sigþórsdóttir
Þórhallur Jónssoni
Þórunn Björnsdóttir
Þórunn Guðmundsdóttir
GRANTS
Tónskáldasjóður RÚV og STEF
Tónskáldasjóður Bylgjan og Stöð 2
Menningarsjóður FÍH Félag íslenskra hljómlistarmanna
Samfélagssjóður Landsbankinn
Launasjóður tónlistarflytjenda hjá RANNÍS