Today : world première of 'Freedom Ride' by Dan Shore in Chicago

Today, the Chicago Opera Theater presents the world première of Freedom Ride, an opera composed by Dan Shore on his own libretto.

It is the composer's fourth opera, after The Beautiful Bridegroom (2009), An Embarrassing Position (2013) and Anne Hutchinson (2014).

When the Congress of Racial Equality comes to New Orleans in the sweltering summer of 1961, Sylvie Davenport is torn. Handed a pamphlet and asked to board a Greyhound bus, Sylvie is forced to choose between her academic future and the future of the nation in a story that highlights how far we’ve come and how far we still have left to go. (reproduced from the Chicago Opera Theater website)

The cast includes soprano Dara Rahming (Sylvie Davenport), soprano Whitney Morrison (Leonie Baker), mezzo Zoie Reams (Georgia Davenport), tenor Tyrone Chambers (Russell Davenport), tenor Cornelius Johnson (Rev. Jerome Mitchell) and baritone Robert Sims (Clayton). Lidiya Yankovskaya conducts the Chicago Sinfonietta. Tazewell Thompson directs.

The venue is the Studebaker Theater.

The performance should last about 2 hours, including one intermission.

Today : world première of 'Blue' by Jeanine Tesori in Cooperstown

Today, the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY, presents the world première of Blue, an opera composed by Jeanine Tesori with a libretto by Tazewell Thompson.

(c) Rodolfo Martinez

It is the composer's third opera after A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck (Copperstown, July 21, 2011) and The Lion, the Unicorn and Me (Wahsington, December 14, 2013).

An African American couple in Harlem anticipates the birth of their firstborn, a son, with both hope and fear. As the baby grows into a young man, the mother worries for his future, and the father tries to prepare his son for the realities of 21st century America, while wrestling with his own identity as a police officer, a "Black man in blue." When their deepest fears come true, the family is forced to navigate a devastating reality seeking answers and support from their church and community. (reproduced from the Lyric Opera of Chicago website)

The cast includes bass Kenneth Kellogg (The Father), mezzo Briana Hunter (The Mother), tenor Aaron Crouch (The Son) and baritone Gordon Hawkins (The Reverend). John DeMain conducts the orchestra. Tazewell Thompson directs.

The performance should last about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The opera will subsequently be performed in Washington, DC (Eisenhower Theater), starting on March 15, 2020 and in Chicago, starting on June 19, 2020.

Today : world première of 'The Invention of Morel' by Stewart Copeland in Chicago

Today, the Chicago Opera Theater presents the world première of The Invention of Morel by Stewart Copeland, with a libretto by Jonathan Moore and the composer after the novel by Adolfo Bioy Casares.

It is the composer's third opera after The Cask of Amontillado (1993) and Tell Tale Heart (2010).

A fugitive from justice has found refuge on a remote island. There is rumor of a strange disease connected to this deserted place. Suddenly a group of exotic tourists arrive. He fears arrest but falls in love with one of the intruders. To meet her would be to risk everything but his heart drags him to her. She ignores him completely ! Soon he is barging in on the tourists' strangely anachronistic party, wailing for attention. Why won't she acknowledge him, why won't they arrest him ? What are those machines in the basement ? And why does she keep repeating the same conversation with that Morel ? (reproduced from the Music Sales Classical website)

The cast includes baritone Andrew Wilkowske (Fugitive), baritone Lee Gregory (Narrator), soprano Valerie Vinzant (Faustine), tenor Nathan Granner (Morel) and soprano Kimberly E. Jones (Dora). Andreas Mitisek conducts the Fulcrum Point New Music Project. Jonathan Moore directs.

According to the publisher's website, the required orchestra is the following :

- 1 flute, 1 clarinet, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon ;
- 1 trumpet, 1 trombone, 1 bass trombone ;
- 2 percussion players ;
- acoustic and electric guitar, piano ;
- string quintet.

The venue is the Studebaker Theater. The performance should last about 85 minutes.

Today : world première of 'Bel Canto' by Jimmy Lopez in Chicago

Today, the new opera composed by Jimmy Lopez, Bel Canto, with a libretto by Nilo Cruz after Ann Patchett's novel, will be performed in Chicago (Lyric Opera) at the Civic Opera House.

It is the first lyrical work by Jimmy Lopez. The original novel was inspired by the Japanese embassy hostage crisis in Lima, Peru :

The crisis began on 17 December 1996 in Lima, Peru, when 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) took hostage hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials and business executives who were attending a party at the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Peru, Morihisa Aoki, in celebration of Emperor Akihito's 63rd birthday. Although strictly speaking the crisis took place at the ambassadorial residence in the upscale district of San Isidro rather than at the embassy proper, the media and others referred to it as the "Japanese embassy" hostage crisis, and that is how it is conventionally known.
Most of the hostages were soon released. After being held hostage for 126 days, the remaining dignitaries were freed on 22 April 1997, in a raid by Peruvian Armed Forces commandos, during which one hostage, two commandos, and all the MRTA militants were killed. The operation was perceived by most Peruvians to be a great success, and it gained worldwide media attention. President Alberto Fujimori initially received much credit for saving the lives of the hostages. (reproduced from wikipedia)

The libretto is a dramatization of these events :

Superstar American diva Roxane Coss has flown to Peru to sing at the vice president's home for a visiting Japanese mogul who is an opera buff. Dignitaries of every nationality are there — but an international crisis explodes when terrorists storm the mansion and take everyone hostage. Isolated for months, unlikely alliances form between captors and captives as fear and anger mingle uneasily with desire and even love. (reproduced from the LOC website)

The cast includes soprano Danielle de Niese (Roxane Coss), mezzo-soprano J'nai Bridges (Carmen), tenor Rafael Davila (General Alfredo), tenor Andrew Stenson (General Watanabe), bass-baritone Jeongcheol Cha (Katsumi Hosokawa) and tenor William Burden (Rubén Iglesias). Sir Andrew Davis conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Kevin Newbury directs.

The opera should last about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The libretto includes lines in the following languages : Spanish, English, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Latin and Quechua.

The orchestra setting is the following :

- 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons ;
- 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- timpani, and percussions (3 musicians) ;
- harp, piano and strings.

A digital copy of the program can be downloaded on the LOC website. The first performance will be broadcast live by classical music radio WFMT.

Today : world première of 'The Property' by Wlad Marhulets in Chicago (IL)

Today, the new chamber opera composed by Wlad Marhulets, The Property, with a libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann adapted from Rutu Modan's graphic novel, will be performed in Chicago at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.

The libretto tells the story of Regina Segal and her granddaughter Mica, who travel to modern Warsaw to try to regain family property lost during World War II. As their journey unfolds, Regina is forced to confront painful truths about her past, including her history with Roman Gorski. Meanwhile, Mica navigates a relationship with their Polish tour guide, Tomasz, and realizes their reasons for coming might not be all that they seemed. (reproduced from the Lyric Opera of Chicago website)

The cast includes  mezzo-soprano Jill Grove (Regina Segal), soprano Anne Slovin (Mica), baritone James Maddalena (Roman Gorski) and baritone Nathaniel Olson (Tomas). They are joined by an instrumental ensemble of six players, including members of Chicago's Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Eric Einhorn directs.