Leporello - Nr. 5 - January 2012 page 1 Leporello Leporello Leporello Leporello Contemporary Opera Newsletter Nr. 5 January 2012 World Première Performances World Première Performances World Première Performances World Première Performances In January 2012, three operas will be staged for the first time, including a new orchestration of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. The two others are based on a Russian novel and a Middle Eastern tale. All three composers are already composers have already written several operas. The most recent among these are Le Bal, Un retour and Cachafaz by Strasnoy, Les Rois, Salammbô and Faust by Fénelon, The Secret Agent by Simon Wills. more on p. 2 DVD (New acquisition) Lorin Maazel : 1984, Decca, 074 3289 with Simon Keenlyside, Nancy Gustafson, Richard Margison, Diana Damrau. Inspired by one of the 20 th century’s greatest novels, this opera evokes Orwell’s totalitarian nightmare, where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching. The composer conducts and Robert Lepage directs. Recorded in London in May 2005, during the first run of performances. more on p. 3 Oscar Strasnoy : Dido and Aeneas Opera (51’) Libretto : Nahum Tate. Paris, Théâtre du Châtelet January 21, 2012 with Ensemble Musicatreize conductor : Roland Hayrabedian director : Thierry Thieu Niang Orchestra : 2 pianos, trumpet, trombone and 2 percussionists Cast : 7 singers A new orchestration of Purcell’s semi opera, with the original vocal lines. Philippe Fénelon : The Cherry Orchard Opera in 12 scenes, with a prologue and an epilogue (110’) Libretto : Alexei Parin, after Anton Chekov. Paris, Palais Garnier January 27, 2012 with Elena Kelessidi, Marat Gali, Alexandra Kadurina, Ulyana Aleksyuk, Anna Krainikova conductor : Tito Ceccherini director : Georges Lavaudant Large orchestra with piano, 3 percussionists, small stage orchestra and 5 harmonicas An aristocratic family return to the family's estate just before it is auctioned to pay the mortgage. The opera was first performed in concert in Moscow on December 2, 2010.
Transcript
Leporello - Nr. 5 - January 2012 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. 5 January 2012
World Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première Performances
In January 2012, three operas will be staged for the first time, including a new orchestration of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. The two others are based on a Russian novel and a Middle Eastern tale. All three composers are already composers have already written several operas. The most recent among these are Le Bal, Un retour and Cachafaz by Strasnoy, Les Rois, Salammbô and Faust by Fénelon, The Secret Agent by Simon Wills.
more on p. 2
DVD (New acquisition)
Lorin Maazel : 1984, Decca, 074 3289 with Simon Keenlyside, Nancy Gustafson, Richard Margison, Diana Damrau. Inspired by one of the 20
th century’s greatest novels, this opera evokes Orwell’s
totalitarian nightmare, where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching. The composer conducts and Robert Lepage directs. Recorded in London in May 2005, during the first run of performances.
more on p. 3
Oscar Strasnoy : Dido and Aeneas Opera (51’) Libretto : Nahum Tate. Paris, Théâtre du Châtelet January 21, 2012
with Ensemble Musicatreize conductor : Roland Hayrabedian director : Thierry Thieu Niang Orchestra : 2 pianos, trumpet, trombone and 2 percussionists Cast : 7 singers A new orchestration of Purcell’s semi opera, with the original vocal lines.
Philippe Fénelon : The Cherry Orchard Opera in 12 scenes, with a prologue and an epilogue (110’) Libretto : Alexei Parin, after Anton Chekov. Paris, Palais Garnier January 27, 2012
with Elena Kelessidi, Marat Gali, Alexandra Kadurina, Ulyana Aleksyuk, Anna Krainikova conductor : Tito Ceccherini director : Georges Lavaudant Large orchestra with piano, 3 percussionists, small stage orchestra and 5 harmonicas An aristocratic family return to the family's estate just before it is auctioned to pay the mortgage. The opera was first performed in concert in Moscow on December 2, 2010.
Leporello - Nr. 5 - January 2012 page 2
World Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première PerformancesWorld Première Performances
Simon Wills : The Stolen Smells
Opera buffa in one act Libretto : Simon Wills Luzern, Theater January 29, 2012
cast : 6 singers conductor : Simon Wills director : Dominique Mentha It is an old Middle Eastern tale common to Arab and Jewish folklore about a starving man standing in the street and smelling the aromas coming from a baker's shop. with Todd Boyce, Carlo Jung-Heyk Cho, Szymon Chojnacki, Marie-Luise Dressen
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 : - Patrick Burgan : Peter Pan, Paris, May 20, 2006 - Unsuk Chin : Alice in Wonderland, München, June 30, 2007 - Vladimir Cosma : Marius et Fanny, Marseille, September 4, 2007 - Victor Davies : Transit of Venus, Winnipeg, November 24, 2007 - David DiChiera : Cyrano, Detroit, October 13, 2007 - Pascal Dusapin : Faustus, the last Night, Berlin, January 21, 2006 - Ivan Fedele : Antigone, Firenze, April 24, 2007 - Philippe Fénelon : Faust, Toulouse, May 25, 2007 - Detlev Glanert : Caligula, Frankfurt, October 7, 2006 - Jonathan Harvey : Wagner Dream, Amsterdam, June 6, 2007 - Mikko Heiniö : Eerik XIV, Turku, November 22, 2011 - Hans Werner Henze : Phaedra, Brussels, September 15, 2007 - Michael Jarrell : Galilée, Geneva, January 25, 2006 - Jacques Lenot : J’étais dans ma maison et j’attendais que la pluie vienne, Geneva, January 29, 2007 - Luca Lombardi : Prospero, Nürnberg, Avril 15, 2006 - Andrew P. MacDonald : Mary’s Wedding, Victoria (BC), November 10, 2011 - Bruno Mantovani : L’autre côté, Strasbourg, September 23, 2006 - Benoît Mernier : Frühlings Erwachen, Brussels, March 9, 2007 - Kevin Puts : Silent Night, Saint Paul (MN), November 12, 2011 - Wolfgang Rihm : Das Gehege, Munich, October 27, 2006 - Kaija Saariaho : Adriana Mater, Paris, March 30, 2006 - Anno Schreier : Die Stadt der Blinden, Zürich, November 12, 2011 - Salvatore Sciarrino : Da gelo a gelo, Paris, May 23, 2007 - Ragner Söderlind, In the Days of the Councillor, Brumunddal, November 17, 2011 - Manfred Trojhan : Orest, Amsterdam, December 8, 2011
2) Libretti : - John Eaton / Andrew Porter : The Tempest, New York : G. Schirmer, 1985, 30 p. - John Harbison : The Great Gatsby, New York : Schirmer, 1999, 70 p. - Tobias Picker / Gene Scheer : An American Tragedy, New York : Schott, 2005, 64 p.
3) Vocal scores : - Samuel Barber : Antony and Cleopatra (revised edition), New York : G. Schirmer, 1976 - Lee Hoiby : The Tempest, New York : G. Schirmer, 1986
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4) DVD :
Hans Werner Henze : L’Upupa, EuroArts, 2053929 with Laura Aikin, John Mark Ainsley, Alfred Muff, Hanna Schwarz. The world première production of Henze’s opera, first performed in Salzburg on August 12, 2003, and revived in Madrid and Lyon. Two other productions have been staged on Hamburg and Dresden. Markus Stenz conducts and Dieter Dorn directs this German comedy based on the Arabic.
Einojuhani Rautavaara : Rasputin, Ondine, ODV 4002 with Matti Salminen, Lilli Paasikivi, Jorma Hynninen, Jyrki Anttila. The world première production of Rautavaara’s epic opera, premiered in Helsinki on September 19, 2003. Mikko Franck conducts and Vilppu Kiljunen directs.
Kaija Saariaho : L’Amour de loin, Deutsche Grammophon, 00440 073 4026 with Gerald Finley, Dawn Upshaw and Monica Groop. Saariaho’s first opera is a « mystical tale, loosely based on history, of a 12th-century prince and troubadour. » Premiered in Salzburg, on August 15, 2000, it has been performed in Paris, London, Antwerp, Gent and Toronto. Recorded in Helsinki in 2004. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts and Peter Sellars directs.
5) CD : Leonardo Balada : La Muerte de Colón, Naxos, 8.660193-94 with Jon Garrison, Judith Jenkins, Katherine Mueller, David Okerlund First performed in Pittsburgh on January 16, 2005. The opera depicts the return of Columbus to Barcelona from the discovery of the New World to his tormented death. Recorded in January 2005 in Pittsburgh. Conducted by Robert Page. Giorgio Battistelli : Prova d’Orchestra, Stradivarius, STR 57004 with Stephen Owen, Philip Sheffield, Corinne Romijn, David Barrell, Xenia Konsek. First performed in Strasbourg on November 24, 1995. Adapted from the screenplay by Federico Fellini, it describes a rehearsal process. Recorded in Ghent in March 2006. Conducted by Luca Pfaff. Philippe Boesmans : Julie, Cypres, CYP4626 with Garry Megee, Malena Ernman, Krstin Avemo First performed in Brussels on March 8, 2005. Based on August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, it deals with love, lust and the battle of the sexes. Live recording of the world première. Conducted by Kazushi Ono.
Brian Ferneyhough : Shadowtime, NMC, D123 with Ekkehard Abele, Angelika Luz, Monika Meier-Schmid, Anja Paulus. First performed in Munich, on May 25, 2004. The libretto is based on the work, life and imagined death of philosopher and cultural critic Walter Benjamin. Recorded in London on July 9, 2005. Conducted by Jurjen Hempel. Detlev Glanert : Caligula, Oehms Classics, OC 932. with Ashley Holland, Michaela Schuster, Martin Wölfel, Gregory Frank First performed in Frankfurt on October 7, 2006. Freely adapted from the play by Albert Camus, the opera deals with the inner life and emotional states of one figure. Live recording of the first performance. Conducted by Markus Stenz. Philip Glass : Waiting for the Barbarians, OMM, 0039 with Richard Salter, Eugene Perry, Michael Tews, Elvira Soukop, Kelly God. First performed in Erfurt on September 10, 2005. Based on John M. Coetzee’s novel, the opera is an allegory of the war between oppressors and the oppressed. Recorded live in Erfurt in September 2005. Conducted by Dennis Russel Davies.
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Osvaldo Golijov : Ainadamar, Deutsche Grammophon, 00289 477 6165 with Dawn Upshaw, Kelley O’Connor, Jessica Rivera, Jesús Montoya First performed in Tanglewood on August 10, 2003. Emerging from darkness, the mythic world of Federico García Lorca comes into being. Recorded in Atlanta in November 2005. Conducted by Robert Spano.
Stephen Hartke : The Greater Good, Naxos, 8.669014-15 with Caroline Worra, John David De Haan, Christine Abraham, Andrew Wentzel. First performed in Cooperstown on July 22, 2006. Based on a short story by Maupassant, it tells the double sacrifice of the prostitute Boule de Suif. Recorded in Cooperstown in August 2006. Conducted by Stewart Robertson. Olli Kortekangas : Messenius and Lucia, Ondine, ODE 1073-2D with Hannu Niemelä, Päivi Nisula, Essi Luttinen, Niklas Spångberg, Riku Pelo First performed in Oulu on September 16, 2005. This opera is a mismatched love story about a choleric, ambitious man and a woman longing for companionship. Recorded in Oulu in September 2005. Conducted by Arvo Volmer.
Michael Nyman : Love Counts, MN Records, MNRCD 111/112 with Andrew Slater and Helen Williams. First performed in Karlsruhe on March 12, 2005. It is an operatic love story between opposites, a lecturer in mathematics and a middle-weight fighter. Recorded in London in July 2006. Conducted by Paul McGrath.
Poul Ruders :Kafka’s Trial, dacapo, 8.226042-43 with Johnny van Hal, Gisela Stille, Marianne Rørholm, Gert Henninh-Jensen First performed in Copenhagen on March 12, 2005. The libretto weaves Kafka’s own destiny into the plot of his own novel. Recorded live in Copenhagen in March-April 2005. Conducted by Thomas Søndergård
Kaija Saariaho : L’Amour de loin, Harmonia mundi, HMC 801937.38 with Daniel Belcher, Ekaterina Lekhina, Marie-Ange Todorovitch First performed in Salzburg on August 15, 2000. Inspired by the life of the troubadour Jaufré Rudel, it tackles love from afar and relations between East and West. Recorded in Berlin in March 2006. Conducted by Kent Nagano. Aulis Sallinen : The King goes forth to France, Ondine, ODE 1066-2D with Tommi Hakala, Jyrki Korhonen, Riikka Rantanen, Lilli Paasikivi, Mari Palo First performed in Savonlinna on July 7, 1984. As an ice age threatens England, the Prince and Prime Minister decide to head for France. Recorded in Helsinki in April 2005. Conducted by Okko Kamu.
