And Then There Were None

A dark comedic opera thriller in three acts

Music by Mathias Halvorsen / Libretto by Agatha Christie and Mathias Halvorsen
Based on the original play by Agatha Christie

And The There Were None is the first ever opera (or musical) written on a text by Agatha Christie. The opera is licensed by Agatha Christie Limited.

Ten strangers are invited to a remote island. A storm hits. One by one, they begin to die.

Duration: approx. 2 hours (3 acts)
Language: Norwegian & (with more translations being made as needed)
Cast: 7–10 performers (both classical & non- classical voices)
Chamber ensemble - Bb clarinet, 2 violins, cello, double bass, piano) OR Orchestra - 2(II, picc.).2.2(II,bcl).2/2.1.0/perc(2).hf./strings(min.6.5.4.3.2)
Choir: Optional (can also be done by cast) & suited for amateurs

Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery is reimagined as a tightly paced opera — suspenseful, darkly funny, and musically adventurous. The libretto stays close to Christie’s 1939 stage play, with its crisp, ironic dialogue and slow-turning screw of tension. The music follows suit: it begins in high spirits, full of sly nods and sharp contrasts, before tightening into something leaner, starker, and more horrifyingly driven.

“The opera format intensifies the poignant atmosphere, but also amplifies the humor in the piece… The ambitions are high, and the result is quite impressive.”
— NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)

The vocal writing spans genres, with five characters are written for operatic voices and the rest are designed for musical theatre singers or actors. This friction — between vocal styles, between formality and farce — is central to the sound of the piece (somewhere between full opera, operetta and musical) – and to its humour. Commissioned by Haugesund Kammeropera and Haugesund Teater, And Then There Were None premiered in 2023. A subsequent tour was produced by Opera Rogaland in 2025.

This flexibility makes And Then There Were None ideal for opera festivals, touring productions and regional companies. The chamber version suits smaller theatres, while the orchestral version accomodates bigger arenas.

For question regarding performance of the piece, please contact Nordiska:

https://nordiska.dk/en/vaerker/and-then-there-were-none-opera-version/

Characters:

Vera Claythorne (mezzo)

Phillip Lombard (tenor)

Dommer Wargrave (barytone)

Emily Brent/Davies/Blore (soprano)

Dr. Armstrong (mezzo/alternativly a non- opera singer)

Fru Rogers (mezzo - can be combined with Vera/or done by a non - opera singer)

General Mackenzie (barytone - can be done by a non - opera singer)

Rodgers (barytone/ alternativly a non- opera singer)

can be combined with (if a proper musical artist):

Anthony Marston (tenor/alternativly a non - opera singer)

The premier production was directed by Morten Joachim Henriksen, with scenography was by Gjermund Andresen.

Staged and commissioned by Opera Rogaland, Haugesund Kammeropera & Haugesund Teater, with permission from Agatha Christie Limited.

Cast: Lene Rudbæk, Andre Søfteland, Kjell Magnus Sandve, Ane Skumsvoll, Mathilde Salmi Marjavara, Jørgen Backer, Janna Kari Kvinnesland, Nikolai Matthews.

Filmed and edited by Motiejus Kurmis. All photo by Motiejus Kurmis.