The hunt for whale oil and the search for light through dark arias on glisting ice. These are some of the ingredients in the innovative opera 'The last rites', which will be premiered in Østerbro Ice Skating Rink.

'The last rites' is a chamber opera which deals with exploitation as the driving force in the world. The story begins in 1721 - the year of the colonization of Greenland - and unfolds the theme of eternal over-exploitation of territories and people.

The brand new Østerbro Ice Skating Rink forms the framework of a monumental, sensuous and chilled opera experience where audience and artists alike are to experience the ice in all its forms. The cold and the score will slowly envelop, and the fatal story of man who ventures out to conquer new land is brought to life.

‘The last rites’ plays out as a form of baroque opera - the predominant style in Europe in the Age of Enlightenment. Based on the musical idiom of baroque, the award-winning composer Niels Rønsholdt creates a brand new and original work which takes us from the beginning of oil extraction to the destruction that we are clearly seeing the signs of today.

The opera is performed for the first time by some of the best singers in the country who specialize in performing new works: soprano Katinka Fogh Vindelev, mezzo-soprano Nana Bugge Rasmussen, counter-tenor Morten Grove Frandsen and bass-barytone Richard Låås.  They are accompanied by pianist James Sherlock and the ensemble Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen. The work is staged and performed especially for Østerbro Skøjtehal by OPE-N’s artistic manager Louise Beck in co-operation with performance artist Nana Fransiska Schottländer, who also appears in the performance.

The work is performed in an ice skating rink, so don't forget to bring warm clothes!