Leporello - Nr. 3 - November 2011 page 1 Leporello Leporello Leporello Leporello Contemporary Opera Newsletter Nr. 3 November 2011 World Première Performances World Première Performances World Première Performances World Première Performances In November 2011, no less than 12 new operas are to be performed for the first time in the following countries : Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, UK and USA. Heinrich von Kleist, Nicholas Gogol, Marie Curie, Erik XIV will join the herd of historical figures to become operatic characters. more on p. 2 DVD (New acquisition) John Adams : Doctor Atomic, Opus Arte, OA 0998 D with Gerald Finley, Jessica Rivera, Richard Paul Fink, James Maddalena First performed in San Francisco on October 1, 2005. The opera depicts the countdown before the detonation of the first atomic bomb outside Los Alamos. Lawrence Renes conducts and Peter Sellars directs. Recorded in Amsterdam in June 2007. Tarik O’Regan : Heart of Darkness Chamber Opera (75’) Libretto : Tom Phillips ; based on the novel by Joseph Conrad. London, Royal Opera House - Linbury Studio November 1, 2011 with Alan Oke, Morten Lassenius Krump, Gweneth- Ann Jeffers, Jaewoo Kim, Donald Maxwell conductor : Oliver Gooch director : Edward Dick Small orchestra (13 instruments) Cast : 8 singers Set in Africa at the height of European colonialism, this tale explores themes of exploitation and brutality in the oppressive atmosphere of the equatorial rain forest. Lady & Bird : Red Waters Opera in 2 acts (90’) Music : Keren Ann Zeidel and Barði Jóhannsson Libretto : Keren Ann Zeidel, Barði Jóhannsson and Sjón. Rouen, Théâtre des Arts November 4, 2011 with Arnar Gudjonsson, Sigridur Soffia Nielsdottir, Thibault de Montalembert conductor : Paul-Emmanuel Thomas director : Arthur Nauziciel Orchestra : 15 musicians, including electric guitar, harpsichord and percussion. Twins, incest and magic are parts of the love story between a brother and a sister. An enchanting and melancholic fairy tale.
Transcript
Leporello - Nr. 3 - November 2011 page 1
LeporelloLeporelloLeporelloLeporello
C o n t e m p o r a r y O p e r a N e w s l e t t e r
Nr. 3 November 2011
World Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première Performances
In November 2011, no less than 12 new operas are to be performed for the first time in the following countries : Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, UK and USA. Heinrich von Kleist, Nicholas Gogol, Marie Curie, Erik XIV will join the herd of historical figures to become operatic characters.
more on p. 2
DVD (New acquisition)
John Adams : Doctor Atomic, Opus Arte, OA 0998 D with Gerald Finley, Jessica Rivera, Richard Paul Fink, James Maddalena First performed in San Francisco on October 1, 2005. The opera depicts the countdown before the detonation of the first atomic bomb outside Los Alamos. Lawrence Renes conducts and Peter Sellars directs. Recorded in Amsterdam in June 2007.
Tarik O’Regan : Heart of Darkness
Chamber Opera (75’) Libretto : Tom Phillips ; based on the novel by Joseph Conrad. London, Royal Opera House - Linbury Studio November 1, 2011
with Alan Oke, Morten Lassenius Krump, Gweneth-Ann Jeffers, Jaewoo Kim, Donald Maxwell conductor : Oliver Gooch director : Edward Dick Small orchestra (13 instruments) Cast : 8 singers Set in Africa at the height of European colonialism, this tale explores themes of exploitation and brutality in the oppressive atmosphere of the equatorial rain forest.
Lady & Bird : Red Waters
Opera in 2 acts (90’) Music : Keren Ann Zeidel and Barði Jóhannsson Libretto : Keren Ann Zeidel, Barði Jóhannsson and Sjón. Rouen, Théâtre des Arts November 4, 2011
with Arnar Gudjonsson, Sigridur Soffia Nielsdottir, Thibault de Montalembert conductor : Paul-Emmanuel Thomas director : Arthur Nauziciel Orchestra : 15 musicians, including electric guitar, harpsichord and percussion. Twins, incest and magic are parts of the love story between a brother and a sister. An enchanting and melancholic fairy tale.
Leporello - Nr. 3 - November 2011 page 2
World Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première Performances
more on p. 3
Vogel Herzog Idiot
Three Chamber Operas (75’) Vienna, Kammeroper November 4, 2011 Karmella Tsepolenko : Heute Abend Boris Godunow Johanna Doderer : Papageno, eine Ausflucht Samu Gryllus : Blaubarts
An opera singer in the middle of his career asks himself if he has achieved anything. He has fulfilled some of his youth’s dreams, except singing Papageno.
Gerhard Wimberger : Heinrich und Kleist Music Theatre Scenes (concert performance) Frankfurt (Oder), Konzerthalle November 4, 2011
cast : 3 actors, 2 singers orchestra with Catherine Cangiano, Marek Reichert, Ludwig Blochberger, Deborah Kaufmann, Torsten Spohn conductor : Gernot Schulz The opera links the fate of a nowadays couple with the final hours of Heinrich von Kleist and Henriette Vogel.
Nico Muhly : Dark Sisters
Chamber opera in 2 acts (90’) New York, Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College (Gotham Chamber Opera) November 9, 2011 Libretto by Stephen Karam
cast : 5 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, bass orchestra : 3 winds, 2 brass, percussion, harp, piano (celesta), string quintet with Caitlin Lynch, Eve Gigliotti, Jennifer Check, Margaret Lattimore, Jennifer Zetlan, Kevin Burdette. Conducted by Neal Goren Directed by Rebecca Taichman A lyrical depiction of one woman’s dangerous attempt to escape her life as a member of the FLDS Church (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints).
Andrew P. MacDonald : Mary’s Wedding Opera Victoria (BC), McPherson Playhouse November 10, 2011 Libretto : Stephen Massicotte, after his own play
cast : 3 singers orchestra with Betty Waynne Allison, Thomas Macleay, Alain Coulombe. Conducted by Timothy Vernon Directed by Michael Shamata The opera is a love letter to the power of memory and innocence, and to a generation of Canadians who were caught in the crucible of the First World War.
Leporello - Nr. 3 - November 2011 page 3
WorldWorldWorldWorld Première Performances Première Performances Première Performances Première Performances
Kevin Puts : Silent Night Opera St. Paul, Minnesota Opera at Ordway November 12, 2011 Libretto : Mark Campbell, after the screenplay for Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion
cast : orchestra : with William Burden, Karin Wolverton, John Robert Lindsey, Michael Nyby, Liam Bonner Conducted by Michael Christie Directed by Eric Simonson On World War I’s western front, weapons are laid down when the Scottish, French and German officers defy their superiors and negotiate a Christmas Eve truce.
Anno Schreier : Die Stadt der Blinden
Opera Zürich, Opernhaus November 12, 2011 Libretto : composer after José Saramago’s novel
with Sandra Trattnigg, Reinhard Mayr, Rebeca Olvera, Valeriy Murga, Morgan Moody, Irène Friedli Conducted by Zsolt Hamar Directed by Stephan Mueller A parable about the coexistence of people under extreme conditions, under the influence of an unforeseen catastrophe, something similar to what we often hear on the news.
Lera Auerbach : Gogol
Opera in seven scenes and three acts Vienna, Theater an der Wien November 15, 2011 Libretto : Lera Auerbach Conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev Directed by Christine Mielitz
Orchestra, chorus, children’s chorus with Martin Winkler, Otto Katzameier, Ladislav Elgr, Natalya Ushakova, Stella Grigorian The opera is a poetic and satirical attempt to comprehend one of the greatest Russian poet, whose mysterious inner life and idiosyncratic works defined the new Russian literature after Pushkin.
Elzbieta Sikora : Madame Curie
Opera Paris, Maison de l’UNESCO November 15, 2011 Libretto : Agata Miklaszewska Conducted by Wojciech Michniewski Directed by Hanna Szymczak
Orchestra, chorus. with the singers, orchestra and chorus from the Baltic Opera Gdansk. This unique performance in France will be followed by two more performances in Poland the following week. The opera is a tribute to the Polish-French physicist-chemist on the occasion of the centennial of her Nobel Prize in chemistry and of the International Year of Chemistry.
more on p. 4
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World Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première Performances
Ragnar Söderlind : In the Days of the
Councillor Opera Brumunddal, Ringsakeroperaen November 17, 2011 Libretto : Morten Jostad, after Tryggve Andersen’s novell.
cast : 19 solosits Orchestra with Trond Halstein Moe, Katharina Frogner Kockum, Kjetil Støa, Per Andreas Tønder Conducted by Magnus Loddgard Directed by Ronald Rørvik The original novel is rather a collection of short stories, depicting various people and groups in rural communities.
Mikko Heiniö : Eerik XIV
Opera in three acts. Turku, Logomo November 22, 2011 Libretto : Juha Siltanen
cast : 10 soloists Orchestra with Charlotte Hellekant, Helena Juntunen, Juha Kotilainen and Esa Ruuttunen Conducted by Leif Segerstam Directed by Erik Söderblom Eerik XIV, the young king of Sweden-Finland, has grand dreams of a civilized Europe. But is this young man prepared to bear the weight of his heavy crown ? Lured by his own education, he tumbles headlong towards his own demise.
In my collectionIn my collectionIn my collectionIn my collection
Below are listed parts of my collection. There will be more in the next issues. 1) Program books : - Leonardo Balada : Faust-Bal, Madrid, February 13, 2009 - Giorgio Battistelli : Richard III, Strasbourg, September 19, 2009 - Daniel Börtz : Goya, Göteborg, September 26, 2009 - Kris Defoort : House of the Sleeping Beauties, Brussels, May 8, 2009 - Philip Glass : Kepler, Linz, September 20, 2009 - Wim Henderickx : Medea, Antwerp, May 18, 2011 - Bo Holten : Livlægens Besøg, Copenhagen, March 28, 2009 - Christian Jost : Hamlet, Berlin, June 21, 2009 - Claude Lenners : Der Turm, Luxembourg, October 6, 2011 - David Nelson : Stolthet och fördom (Pride and Prejudice), Vadstena, July 21, 2011 - Fredrik Österling : Nasflöjten, Vadstena, August 8, 2009 - Thierry Pécou : L’Amour coupable, Rouen, April 23, 2010 - Aribert Reimann : Medea, Vienna, February 28, 2010 - Wolfgang Rihm : Dionysos, Salzburg, July 27, 2010 - Poul Ruders : Dancer in the Dark, Copenhagen, September 5, 2010 - Alessandro Solbiati : Leggenda, Torino, September 20, 2011 - Ming Tsao : Die Geisterinsel, Stuttgart, May 2, 2011
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2) CD : Jake Heggie : Three Decembers, Albany, Troy 1073/74 with Frederica von Stade, Kristin Clayton, Keith Pahres First performed in Houston on February 29, 2008. Chamber opera. An actress and her two grown children struggle to know and love one another. Recorded in Houston in March 2008. Conducted by Patrick Summers.
Lee Hoiby : Bon Appétit ! and This Is the Rill Speaking, Albany, Troy 1028. with Kathryn Cowdrick, Julia Cramer, Jordan Wilson, Jonathon Pape. First performed in Washington on March 8, 1989 and in Purchase on April 26, 2008. Two one-acts operas. Recorded in Rochester in January 2008. Conducted by Benton Hess. Lee Hoiby : The Tempest, Albany, Troy 1106/07 with Robert Balonek, Molly Davey, Catherine Webber, Joshua Benevento First performed in Des Moines on June 21, 1986. Libretto adapted from Shakespeare’s play. Recorded in Purchase in April 2008. Conducted by Hugh Murphy. Michael Jarrell : Cassandre, Kairos, 0012912KAI with Astrid Bas. First performed in Paris on February 4, 1992. This spoken opera is based on Christa Wolf’s novel and shows Cassandra remembering what happened. Recorded in Paris in October 2008. Conducted by Susanna Mälkki.
