Ellen Reid's 'The Shell Trial' has sell out run

A sell out run of Dutch National Opera’s ‘Opera Forward Festival’ centred around the world premiere of American composer Ellen Reid’s work The Shell Trial. Based on the play De zaak Shell by Anoek Nuyens, Rebekka de Wit, Frascati Producties and De Nwe Tijd, The Shell Trial represents the voices in the climate debate. The idea stems from an ongoing high-profile Dutch trial, holding oil giant Shell responsible for its contribution to climate change.

In their opera, Ellen Reid, along with librettist and collaborator Roxie Perkins, masterfully conveyed the multiple voices involved in the climate debate. Having come together once before to create the acclaimed opera  p r i s m  (2018) the impact of The Shell Trial was testament to these two women’s creative synergy.

With less than two years from commission of the idea to completion, the impact of Ellen Reid’s masterful score will doubtless endure the test of time within the climate debate. Here is a voice who showcases the cinematic and visual within orchestral colour, and has a rare innate understanding for operatic vocal writing. It is a production that requires finessing, yet has at its core two shining lights of opera.