Composer(s): Thomalla, Hans
Conductor(s): Pierson, Alan
Label: Oehms Classics
Genre: Opera
Catalogue No: OC2000
Barcode: 4260034869790
Release Date: 03/2026

THOMALLA, H.: Dark Fall [Opera] (E. Kruger, Eikötter, Chrisp, Berau, Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra, A. Pierson)

Dark Fall is an opera about love and longing in old age. The story centres on Ellen, a married woman who is showing the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Despite these symptoms, or perhaps because of them, she falls in love with Owen, an old friend who visits Ellen and her husband.

Dark Fall questions notions about love and partnership in old age: When are we too ill or too old to be allowed to fall in love again? to start a new life with a new partner and be able to leave someone else? when are we too limited

in our autonomy to freely decide our lives?

Together with Dark Spring (UA Mannheim 2020), Dark Fall is conceived as the second part of a theatrical Diptych of Desire. The pieces can be performed either separately or together as a double feature.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Thomalla, Hans
Thomalla, Hans - Lyricist
Spahr, Juliana - Lyricist
Clover, Joshua - Lyricist
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
1Act I: One, two, three, four (Ellen, Curtis, Ilse)02:31
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
2Act I: Aria: Why Don't You Listen? (Curtis)01:37
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
3Act I: When you've reached my age (Ellen, Ilse, Curtis)01:59
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
4Act I: Aria: Why Should I Listen? (Ellen)02:45
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
5Act I: Duet: How Will I Survive… Wednesday We Smash the Patriarchy!… (Ellen, Ilse)02:30
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
6Act I: Aria: What Is Going On With You, Ellen? (Ellen)05:36
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
7Act I: You must be Owen (Ilse, Owen)02:15
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
8Act I: Learn This, Do That! (Owen, Ilse, Ellen, Curtis)02:43
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
9Act I: Welcome! (Curtis, Owen, Ilse, Ellen)00:38
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
10Act I: Quartet: Wednesday We Smash the Patriarchy! (Ellen, Ilse, Owen, Curtis)01:53
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
11Act I: Interlude 102:12
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
12Act II: Look, these journals (Ilse, Ellen)05:05
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
13Act II: Aria: Sometimes I Feel (Ilse)04:33
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
14Act II: It looks like the attempt to put order in all your things (Owen, Ellen)01:38
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
15Act II: Duet: Nothing Seems As It Used To Be (Ellen, Owen)03:35
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
16Act II: Look! It's Curtis, you, and me! (Ellen, Owen)00:30
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
17Act II: Ellen, what happened here? (Curtis, Ellen)00:24
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
18Act II: Aria: I Do This! (Curtis)01:29
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
19Act II: I will clean up now (Ellen, Curtis, Owen, Ilse)04:19
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
20Act II: Quartet: Elective Affinity! (Ellen, Ilse, Owen, Curtis)06:06
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
Disc 2
1Act II: Duet: I Feel That I've Begun To Disappear (Ellen, Owen)12:39
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
2Act II: Aria: I Am Become Cerberus With Three Heads (Curtis)02:47
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
3Act II: The past months must have been difficult (Ilse, Curtis)01:12
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
4Act II: Duet: You're Kind, But No One Can Help You Worry (Curtis, Ilse)05:34
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
5Act II: Interlude 201:45
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
6Act III: Terzet: One, Two, Three, Four (Ellen, Owen, Ilse)03:09
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
7Act III: It's such a nice holiday in this hotel here (Ellen, Ilse, Owen)02:07
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
8Act III: Aria: Don't You Remember? (Ilse)02:10
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
9Act III: Do I remember? (Ellen, Ilse, Owen)01:09
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
10Act III: Aria: I Fall (Ellen)07:19
Kruger, Estelle (soprano)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
11Act III: Owen, this day shows that we all have to rethink our actions (Ilse, Owen)01:40
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
12Act III: Aria: Each Time You Walk Out The Door (Owen)04:20
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
13Act III: Curtis! Ilse! (Ilse, Owen, Curtis)04:08
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)
14Act III: Terzet: Ellen, Tell Us Where You Have Gone (Curtis, Owen, Ilse)07:14
Eikötter, Uwe (tenor)
Berau, Thomas (baritone)
Chrisp, Lila (contralto)
Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra (Orchestra)
Pierson, Alan (Conductor)

Total Playing Time: 01:51:31