Laughing Out Lonely

The faceless existence of life on the internet is given a voice in this thrilling new solo opera by the award-winning composing team Matilde Böcher and Asger Kudahl.

LOL – Laughing Out Lonely is a portrait of contemporary loneliness. With universal relevance and a tour-de-force performance from acclaimed countertenor Morten Grove Frandsen, this modern opera is a thought-provoking reflection of our digital age.

Frandsen amazes as the embodiment of a myriad of outsiders, including the girl with The Fucking Ugly Face, who cuts herself to forget her pain, or The Lamb, a shameful boy who dreams of being slaughtered. LOL takes the audience into the darkest corners of the internet, where misogynists, self-harmers, racists, and other marginalized existences have found an absurd community.

Created using English lyrics based on posts from young people on social media, and staged as a theatrical echo chamber where the audience is part of the setting, LOL is a compelling work relevant to audiences of all ages.

LOL is produced by the ground-breaking Danish company OPE-N, which combines the expressive possibilities of opera with physical theatre. The results of this are innovative performances that are accessible to a broad audience, while simultaneously bringing a significant renewal to the operatic genre.

LOL premiered in May 2023 to rave reviews and played to packed houses on tour around Denmark during the summer. With a collapsible setting and mobile technical equipment, the performance is easy to move and can be adjusted to many different venues.

Morten Grove Frandsen has been nominated for a Reumert Award in 2024 for his solo performance.