Lee Miller in Hitler’s Bathtub
- a tragic cantate -
Composition Maarten Seghers
Libretto, direction and scenography Jan Lauwers
Performed by
Lee Miller - actress Romy Louise Lauwers
Lee Miller - mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey
Man Ray George van Dam
a five-person music ensemble
Musicians for Vienna
Piano, violin George van Dam
Contrabassoon Nikolett Fretyan (Cover: Kiss Beatrix)
Trombone Franz Geroldinger
Cello Jan Ryska (Cover: Amann Hannah)
Percussion Michael Kahlig (Cover: Waltersdorfer Leonhard)
Conductor Daniel Kurland
Developed with
Piano, violin George van Dam
Contrabassoon Bert Helsen
Trombone Adrien Lambinet
Cello Simon Lenski
Percussion Aya Suzuki
Dramaturgy Elke Janssens
Assistant to the director Emily Hehl
Musical advise Rombout Willems
Translation English Donald Gardner
Translation German Interlingua, Emily Hehl
Production manager Rune Floryn
Sound design Dries D'Hondt
Costume assistant Sharlotta Seeligmüller, Simon Perotti (intern)
Light assistant Astrid Vansteenkiste
Ice sculpture Benoît Gob
Surtitles Elke Janssens, Sharlotta Seeligmüller
Production Needcompany
Co-production Wiener Staatsoper, Per Podium
Thanks to Ellen Rose Kelly, ICTUS ensemble (Brussels)
Created with support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government and the Flemish Authorities
Some scenes contain sensitive images related to child abuse and concentration camps. These subjects may be distressing or triggering for some viewers.
‘Lee Miller in Hitler’s Bathtub' is neither a historical nor biographical portrait of artist Lee Miller and should be seen as faction; combining actual historical events with fictional elements. The interpretation of the Lee Miller character is based on artistic choices and Jan Lauwers’ vision and may differ from historical documentation or biographies. Some dialogue, situations and interactions are invented.’
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A story for two women and a few unimportant men
Jan Lauwers’ oeuvre as a writer and theatre maker is characterised by strong female
roles. One woman who has fascinated him for a long time is the American artist Lee
Miller. (War-) photographer, journalist, top model, cover girl and alcoholic. Abused,
vilified, adored and discarded. And then there is this one photo: 'Lee in Hitler’s bathtub'
by David E. Scherman in 1945. The text begins at the moment when Lee Miller stands in
front of Hitler’s bathtub in her stinking clothes, which still reek of the corpse smells from
Dachau.
Jan Lauwers: 'The libretto does not tell the story of Lee Miller from birth to death. Jan Lauwers is fascinated by the moral lack of clarity of Lee as a woman in a patriarchal society, in
which power games are ruthlessly played. What does it mean for Lee that she chose to
take a bath in the monster’s bathtub? What does it mean moreover to let her photo be
taken there? What does it mean for her photography and the truth that she rearranged
corpses in Dachau for the sake of the lighting?’
The libretto 'Lee Miller in Hitlers Bathtub' is a portrait of a woman who at the end of her life said that she felt like a cow who had been milked dry. A woman in the shadow of many men. Famous men. Notorious men. Jan Lauwers wanted to make a portrait that was no longer that of Lee but of so many women in the history of art who have been gagged.
Lee Miller in Hitler’s Bathtub
- a tragic cantate -
Composition Maarten Seghers
Libretto, direction and scenography Jan Lauwers
Performed by
Lee Miller - actress Romy Louise Lauwers
Lee Miller - mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey
Man Ray George van Dam
a five-person music ensemble
Musicians for Vienna
Piano, violin George van Dam
Contrabassoon Nikolett Fretyan (Cover: Kiss Beatrix)
Trombone Franz Geroldinger
Cello Jan Ryska (Cover: Amann Hannah)
Percussion Michael Kahlig (Cover: Waltersdorfer Leonhard)
Conductor Daniel Kurland
Developed with
Piano, violin George van Dam
Contrabassoon Bert Helsen
Trombone Adrien Lambinet
Cello Simon Lenski
Percussion Aya Suzuki
Dramaturgy Elke Janssens
Assistant to the director Emily Hehl
Musical advise Rombout Willems
Translation English Donald Gardner
Translation German Interlingua, Emily Hehl
Production manager Rune Floryn
Sound design Dries D'Hondt
Costume assistant Sharlotta Seeligmüller, Simon Perotti (intern)
Light assistant Astrid Vansteenkiste
Ice sculpture Benoît Gob
Surtitles Elke Janssens, Sharlotta Seeligmüller
Production Needcompany
Co-production Wiener Staatsoper, Per Podium
Thanks to Ellen Rose Kelly, ICTUS ensemble (Brussels)
Created with support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government and the Flemish Authorities
Some scenes contain sensitive images related to child abuse and concentration camps. These subjects may be distressing or triggering for some viewers.
‘Lee Miller in Hitler’s Bathtub' is neither a historical nor biographical portrait of artist Lee Miller and should be seen as faction; combining actual historical events with fictional elements. The interpretation of the Lee Miller character is based on artistic choices and Jan Lauwers’ vision and may differ from historical documentation or biographies. Some dialogue, situations and interactions are invented.’
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