Leporello Contemporary
Opera
Newsletter
Nr. 7
March 2012
World Première Performances In March 2012, eight operas, including two works for children and two chamber operas, will face an audience for the first time, in Germany, Belgium, France, the USA and Switzerland. Most of the composers are young musicians, writing their first or second stage work. After Mikropolis and Hamlet, Rumor is Christian’s Jost 5th opera. With Babur in London, Edward Rushton has already composed seven operas.
Enver Yalçin Özdiker : Aufstand Chamber Opera (90’) Libretto : Feridun Zaimoglu and Günter Senkel Wuppertal, Kleines Schauspielhaus March 4, 2012
with Dorothea Brandt, Kristina Stanek, Christian Sturm, Marek Reichert, Olaf Haye. Tobias Deutschmann conducts and Christian von Treskow directs. The opera focuses on the Elberfeld uprising in May 1849. Following the March 1848 revolution, it was suppressed by Prussian troops.
Line Adam : Sybil et les Silhouettes Opera for children (75’) Libretto : André Borbé Liège, Palais Opéra March 6, 2012
with Annastina Malm, Tineke Van Ingelgem, Lars Piselé, Tristan Faes, Pierre Gathier Conducted by Cyril Englebert and directed by Constance Arizzoli A dormitory at night. The beam of a flashlight appears. Boys come out from under the sheets. In turn, they see their shadows on the wall.
more on p. 2
DVD (New acquisition) Poul Ruders : Selma Jezková, Dacapo, 2.110410 with Ylva Kihlberg, Palle Knudsen, Hanne Fischer, Guido Paevatalu Based on Lasr von Trier’s film Dancer in the Dark, the opera follows the heartwrenching story of Selma, a poor factory worker with falling eyesight. Michael Schønwandt conducts and Kasper Holten directs. Recorded in Copenhagen in September 2010. more on p. 3
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World Première Performances Bruno Giner : Pion prend tour en D9 Chamber opera Libretto : after Hervé Le Tellier Paris, Auditorium Saint German March 7, 2012
with Laura Muller, Jeanne Dumat, Lionel Gontier, Michel Hecquet, Nicolas Lefèbvre. Philippe Nahon conducts and Benoît Richter directs. Orchestra : clarinet, flute, horn, trombone, violin, cello, piano and 2 percussions. In a concentration camp, two German officers play chess, with the help of two Jewish inmates, who are also famous chess players.
Jérôme Combier : Terre et Cendres Opera in 3 acts (90’) Libretto : Atiq Rahimi after his novel Lyon, Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse March 10, 2012
Christoph Reuter : Oskar und die Groschenbande Opera for children Libretto : August Buchner Dessau, Anhaltisches Theater March 10, 2012
with Dorothea Brandt, Kristina Stanek, Christian Sturm, Marek Reichert, Olaf Haye. Tobias Deutschmann conducts and Christian von Treskow directs. The opera focuses on the Elberfeld uprising in May 1849. Following the March 1848 revolution, it was suppressed by Prussian troops.
Alex Prior : Jonah and the Whale Opera in one act (60’) Libretto : Velina Hasu Houston Los Angeles, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels March 16, 2012
Conducted by James Conlon and directed by Eli Villanueva. with Julian Negulesco, Hamid Javdan. Conducted by Philippe Forget and directed by Yoshi Oida. Orchestra : 4 winds, string quintet, accordion and percussion.
Designed for full community participation of all ages. Jonah and the Whale will dramatize the story from the Old Testament, in which God asks Jonah to prophesy against the sinful people of Nineveh.
In Afghanistan in 1977, a child, discovering opera on television, feels it as a sacred ritual and as fascinating as the call of the muezzin in the minaret.
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Christian Jost : Rumor
Edward Rushton : Babur in London
Opera in 15 scenes Libretto : Christian Jost, after Guillermo Arriaga Antwerpen, Vlaamse Opera March 23, 2012
Chamber opera (70’) Libretto : Jeet Thayil Zürich, Theater Rigblick March 28, 2012
Cast : 5 singers and 5 instrumentalists Orchestra : 8 woodwinds, 9 brass, glockenspiel (and vibraphone), marimba, bass guitar, harp, celesta, piano, strings With Agneta Eichenholz, Werner van Mechelen, Florian Hoffmann, Ursula Hesse von den Steinen. Conducted by Martyn Brabbins and directed by Guy Joosten.
With Omar Ebrahim, Kishani Jayasinghe, Annie Gill, Damian Thantrey, Amar Muchhala Conducted by Tim Murray and directed by John Fulljames. In a London suburb, four young men and women are preparing a terrorist act. As their mission draws closer they are disturbed by the ghost of Babur, first Mughal Emperor -poet and warrior.
Rumours abound when the body of a young woman is found. Suspicions, half truths and guesses determine the search for the perpetrator.
In my collection Below are listed parts of my collection. There will be more in the next issues.
1) Program books : - John Adams : El Niño, Paris, December 15, 2000 - Gilbert Amy : Le Premier Cercle, Lyon, October13, 1999 - Luciano Berio : Outis, Paris, November 15, 1999 - Harrison Birtwistle : Gawain, London, January 15, 2000 - Philippe Boesmans : Wintermärchen, Brussels, December 14, 1999 - Philippe Boesmans : Wintermärchen, Paris, November 6, 2000 - Peter Eötvös : Trois Sœurs, Lyon, March 13, 1998 - Philippe Fénelon : Salammbô, Paris, May 16, 1998 - Guus Janssen : Hier°, Amsterdam, January 21, 2000 - Aribert Reimann : Bernarda Albas Haus, Munich, October 30, 2000 - David Sawer : From Morning to Midnight, London, April 27, 2001 - Manfred Trojahn : Was ihr wollt, Munich, May 24, 1998 - Simon Wills : The Stolen Smells, Luzern, January 29, 2012
2) Full score : - Paolo Renosto : L’Ombra di Banquo, Milano : Ricordi, 1978, 93 p.
3) Vocal scores : - Thomas Adès : The Tempest, London : Faber Music, 2007, 247 p. - Tom Cunningham : The Okavango Macbeth, Tewkesbury : Goodmusic Publishing, 2010, 168 p.
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4) DVD : Philip Glass : Kepler, OMM, 5004 with Martin Achrainer, Cassandra McConnell, Karen Robertson, Katerina Hebelkova The opera explores the life of scientist Johannes Kepler through a series of dramatic scenes. Dennis Russell Davies conducts and Peter Missotten directs. Recorded live in Linz in October 2009, shortly after the world première.
5) CD : Tom Cunningham : The Okavango Macbeth, Delphian, DCD 34096 with Beth Mackay, Rónan Busfield, Andrew McTaggart, Lucinda Stuart-Grant. First performed in Gaborone on October 3rd, 2009. The opera deals with the efforts of an ambitious female baboon to encourage her husband, the dominant baboon. Recorded in April 2011 in Edinburgh. Conducted by Michael Bawtree. Per Nørgård : Nuit des Hommes, dacapo, 8.226011 with Helene Gjerris and Helge Rønning. First performed in 1996. Based on the work of the French poet Apollinaire, this opera(torio) is a ‘crash into the underground - without a return ticket’. Recorded in Hillerød in December 2003. Conducted by Kaare Hansen. Einojuhani Rautavaara :The House of the Sun, Ondine, ODE 1032-2D with Anna-Kristiina Kaappola, Raija Regnell, Mia Huhta, Helena Juntunen. First performed in Lappeenranta on April 25, 1991. Based on the true story of two elderly sisters who were found frozen to death in their trash-filled home. Recorded in Oulu in March 2003. Conducted by Mikko Franck. Michèle Reverdy : Médée, Mandala, MAN 5095/96 with Françoise Masset, Jean-Louis Serre, Christian Tréguier, Magali Léger First performed in Lyon on January 23, 2003. Based on Hesiod and Christa Wolf’s novel, another version of the Greek mythology. Recorded live in Lyon on February 2, 2003. Conducted by Pascal Rophé Flavio Testi : Saül, Naïve, V 4988. With Vincent Le Texier, Fabrice Mantegna, Daniel Galvez-Vallejo, Hanna Schaer First performed in Paris on October 25, 2003. Based on André Gide’s play, the opera highlights the personal tragedy of the king. Live recording of the first performance. Conducted by Massimo Zanetti.
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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