Leporello Contemporary
Opera
Newsletter
Nr. 6
February 2012
World Première Performances In February 2012, three new operas will be performed. After five children operas, Markus Fagerudd’s new work deals with a more mature subject. Matteo Franceschini has already composed 3 musical theatre pieces, usually with few instruments : My Way to Hell and Il Gridario in 2010, Les Époux in 2011. Christian Eggen will present a new element of his opera Kafka Pictures, to be completed next year.
Markus Fagerudd : Välilasku
Matteo Franceschini : Zazie
Chamber opera (60’) Libretto : Maritz Núñez (in Spanish) Helsinki, Music Theatre Kapsäkki February 2, 2012
Opera (50’) Libretto : Michel Beretti. Paris, Théâtre du Châtelet February 5, 2012
cast : soprano and baritone with Reetta Ristimäki and Juha Kotilainen, with the Pipoka Trio.
with soprano Sevan Manoukian, baritone JeanBaptiste dumora, and actor Guillaume Marquet conductor : Mélanie Lévy-Thiébaut director : Christian Gangneron
The opera tells the story of two people who meet by chance at an international airport and get into an erotic adventure together. The music combines style from contemporary opera to Latin American music.
with Orchestra National d’Île de France Cast : 7 singers Franceschini’s fourth opera is based on Queneau’s Zazie in the Metro. Provincial pren-teenager Zazie explores Paris on her own, metro strike notwithstanding. more on p. 2
DVD (New acquisition) Kari Tikka : Luther, Ondine, ODV 4001 with Esa Ruuttunen, Lassi Virtanen, Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Aki Alamikkotervo. « I wrote this opera so that many would hear, see, and understand that God in his son Jesus has gone through all of our battles and won for us liberty. » The composer conducts and Jussi Tapola directs this world première production, recorded in the ‘Rock Church’ in Helsinki in May 2003. more on p. 3
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World Première Performances Christian Eggen : Homecoming with Hege Høisæter, Ketil Hugaas, Silvia Moi, Thor Inge Falch conductor : Christian Eggen director : Halldis Hoaas Orchestra : Olso Sinfonietta, with chorus and children’s chorus Opera Libretto : after Kafka. Oslo, Opera - Studio February 27, 2012
A man returns to his childhood home after many years away. As he knocks on the door, he is haunted by thoughts. Why does he hesitate ?
In my collection Below are listed parts of my collection. There will be more in the next issues.
1) Program books : - Thomas Adès : The Tempest, London, February 10, 2004 - Friedrich Cerha : Der Riese vom Steinfeld, Wien, June 13, 2002 - Pascal Dusapin : Perelà Uomo di fumo, Paris, February 24, 2003 - Peter Eötvös : Angels in America, Paris, November 23, 2004 - Ahmed Essyad : Héloïse et Abélard, Paris, May 16, 2001 - Arnaldo de Felice : Medusa, Munich, November 13, 2005 - Philippe Fénelon : The Cherry Orchard, Paris, January 27, 2012 - HK Gruber : der herr nordwind, Zürich, June 12, 2005 - Hans Werner Henze : L’Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe, Salzburg, August 12, 2003 - Wilfried Hiller : Pinocchio, Vienna, April 13, 2003 - Lee Hoiby : The Tempest, Victoria, February 12, 2004 - Helmut Lachenmann : Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern, Paris, September 21, 2001 - Rolf Liebermann : Medea, Paris, February 12, 2002 - Theo Loevendie : Johnny & Jones, Amsterdam, June 8, 2001 - Lorin Maazel : 1984, London, May 3, 2005 - Philippe Manoury : K…, Paris, March 7, 2001 - Nicholas Maw : Sophie’s Choice, London, December 7, 2002 - Matthias Pintscher : L’Espace dernier, Paris, February 23, 2004 - Henry Purcell / Oscar Strasnoy : Dido and Aeneas, Paris, January 21, 2012 - Kaija Saariaho : L’Amour de loin, Paris, November 26, 2001 - Jörg Widmann : Das Gesicht im Speigel, Munich, July 17, 2003 - Hans Zender : Chief Joseph, Berlin, June 23, 2005
2) Libretti : - Philip Glass / David Henry Hwang : The Voyage, New York : Dunvagen, 1992, 35 p. - Hans Werner Henze / Hans-Ulrich Treichel : Venus und Adonis, Mainz : Schott, 1996, 26 p. - Einojuhani Rautavaara : Aleksis Kivi, Helsinki : Fazer, 1997, 65 p. - Aribert Reimann / Claus H. Henneberg : Lear, Mainz : B. Schott’s Söhne, 1978, 41 p.
3) Full scores : - Hans Werner Henze, Venus und Adonis, Mainz : Schott, 2000, 294 p. - Aribert Reimann : Bernarda Albas Haus, Mainz : Schott, 2000, 292 p. - Aribert Reimann : Lear, Mainz : Schott, 1978, 460 p.
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4) DVD : Rued Langgaard : Antikrist, dacapo, 2.110402 with Sten Byriel, Anne Margrethe Dahl, Helene Gjerris, Poul Elming, Camilla Nylund. The Royal Danish Opera production of this 1930 opera. « The composer’s revelation unfold with its intriguing allegorical characters an dits powerful statement about the moral decay of modernity. » Recorded in Copenhagen in August and September 2002. Laurent Petitgirard : Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man, Marco Polo, 2.220001 with Jana Sykorova, Nicolas Rivenq, Robert Breault, Valérie Condoluci. First performed in Prague on February 7, 2002. Petitgirard’s first opera depicts the tragic story of Joseph Merrick, who was born with horrifying deformities and exploited both as a freak show exhibit and as a medical curiosity. The composer conducts. Daniel Mesguich directs. Recorded in Nice on November 29, 2002. André Previn : A Streetcar named Desire, ArtHaus, 100 138 with Renée Fleming, Elizabeth Futral, Judith Forst, Rodney gilfry. The world première production of Previn’s first opera, based on the Tennessee Williams’ play. Recorded in San Francisco in September 1998. The composer conducts and Colin Graham directs
5) CD : John Adams : I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky, Naxos, 8.6690003-04 with Martina Mühlpointner, Kimako Xavier Trotman, Jeannette Friedrich Combination of social criticism and love story, it chronicles the life of seven young Los Angeleans of different social and ethnic backgrounds. Recorded in Germany and Austria in 2004. Conducted by Klaus Simon. Robert Aldridge : Elmer Gantry, Naxos, 8.669032-33 with Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vae Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck First performed in Nashville on November 16, 2007. It is the story of old-time religion, illicit romance and revenge, full of hymns, gospel songs, marches and dance. Recorded in Milwaukee in March 2010. Conducted by William Boggs. Louis Andriessen : Writing to Vermeer, Nonesuch, 79887-2 with Susan Narucki, Susan Bickley, Barbara Hannigan. First performed in Amsterdam on December 1, 1999. Peter Greenaway’s libretto consists of three women’s fictional letters to Vermeer. Recorded in Amsterdam in July 2004. Conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. Pascal Dusapin : Perelà uomo di fumo, naïve, MO 782168 with John Graham-Hall, Isabelle Philippe, Chantal Perraud, Martine Mahé. First performed in Paris, on February 24, 2003. Based on Aldo Palazzeschi’s futuristic novel, it tells the encounter of a man of smoke and humans. Recorded live in Montpellier in May 2003. Conducted by Alain Altinoglu. Philip Glass : Orphée, OMM, 0068 with Philip Cutlip, Lisa Saffer, Ryan MacPherson, Georgia Jarman, Ron Brallier First performed in Cambridge (MA) on May 14, 1993. Based on Cocteau’s retelling of the Orpheus myth, it is an extended parable on the life of a poet harassed by peers. Recorded live in Portland in November 2009. Conducted by Anne Manson. Heiner Goebbels : Landscape With Distant Relatives, ECM New Series, ECM 1811 with David Bennent and Georg Nigl Premiered in Geneva on October 16, 2002, this opera was partly motivated by the composer’s reactions to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Recorded live in Nanterre in October 2004. Conducted by Franck Ollu.
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Cristóbal Halffter : Don Quijote, Glossa, GSP 98004 with Josep Miquel Ramón, Enrique Baquerizo, Eduardo Santamaria, Diana Tiegs First performed in Madrid on February 23, 2000. The libretto is based on the Cervantes story as well as works of other Spanish poets. Recorded in Madrid in July 2003. Conducted by Pedro Halffter Caro. York Höller : Der Meister und Margarita, Col legno, Wwe 3CD 20059 with Richard Salter, Marilyn Schmiege, Franz Mazura, Anne Schwanewilms. First performed in Paris on May 20, 1989. Based on Bulgakov’s novel, it deals with opposing human values : good and bad, God and the Devil, life and death. Recorded live in Cologne in November 1991. Conducted by Lothar Zagrosek. Michael Levinas : Les Nègres, Sisyphe, 009 with Wendy Waller, Bonita Hyman, Hans Voschezang, David Lee Brewer. First performed in Lyon on January 20, 2004. Based on Jean Genet’s play, it is a funeral ritual around the fictitious murder of a White woman. Recorded in Geneva in April 2004. Conducted by Bernhard Kontarsky. Luigi Nono : Prometeo, Tragedia dell’ascolto, Col legno, WWE 2SACD 20605 with Petra Hoffmann, Monika Bair-Ivenz, Susanne Otto, Hubert Mayer, Sigrun Schell. First performed in Venice in 1984. Second version first performed in Milan in 1985. The salvation of humanity and a new utopia are the main themes of this work. Recorded in Freiburg in May 2003. Michael Nyman : Man and Boy : Dada, MN Records, MNRCD 101/2 with John Graham-Hall, William Sheldon, Vivian Tierney. First performed in Karlsruhe on March 13, 2004. It is an imaginary episode in the life of the artist Kurt Schwitters. Recorded in London in July 2004. Conducted by Paul McGrath. Robin de Raaff : Raaff, Etcetera, KTC 1370. with Marcel Reijans, Danielle de Niese, Mark Tevis, Annett Andriesen. First performed in Amsterdam on June 23, 2004. The libretto is based on the life of Anton Raaff, who sang the title role of Mozart’s Idomeneo in 1781. Recorded in Amsterdam in June 2004. Conducted by Lawrence Renes. Peter Westergaard : Moby Dick, Albany, Troy 806/07 with Robert Baker, Douglas Millar, David Kellett, William Parcher, Todd Thomas First performed in Princeton on October 27, 2004. Based on Melville’s novel, the opera shows two struggles : the first between humans, the second against a whale. Recorded in Princeton in October 2004. Conducted by Michael Pratt.
In progress Shakespearean Opera Performance Guide This book will include all operas listed in previous studies as well as new operas composed in the last 20 years. It will give all information needed to perform it : characters with tessituras (and complete cast for the world première performance), complete orchestral setting, sets as described in libretto, duration, recordings, publishers. It is to be published before the Shakespeare anniversaries in 2014 (450th of his birth) and 2016 (400th of his death). COWARC holds a collection of more than 6,100 documents published by opera companies since 1989 with information about more than 132,000 performances. A great amount of information has also been gathered on Shakespearean operas from all times and all countries. Leporello is published by COWARC - Contemporary Opera Worldwide Archive and Research Center 29, rue de la Clef, F-75005 Paris Directeur de la publication : Mathias LEHN - Rédacteur en chef : Mathias LEHN contact : Leporello21@orange.fr © COWARC, 2012
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