Today : world première of Benjamin Schweitzer's 'Südseetulpen' in Chemnitz

Today, the Theater Chemnitz presents the world première performance of Benjamin Schweitzer new operetta, Südseetulpen (Tulips of the South Sea), with a libretto by Constantin von Castenstein.

(c) Andreas Sparberg

It is the composer's third work for the stage after the chamber opera Jakob von Gunten (2000) and the tragicomedy Dafne (2006).

John Blunt and George Caswall, two financial geniuses of 18th century England are given the monopoly of trade with the South Seas colonies by Queen Anne when they pay all the war debts of the Crown. They set up the South Sea Company and set off on a journey to boost a buoyant trade. The fact that they come only to Jamaica and have nothing to import except for a clever governor, the exotic beauty of Pandora and a flower bulb is not noticed in England - the rumor of treasures makes the price of the new share skyrocket on the financial market. When the Queen unexpectedly sets an end to the Spanish Succession War and the fraud is discovered, the angry investors demand their money back. But Blunt and Caswall have already left England, with only a single flower-bulb in their luggage... (freely adapted from the Theater Chemnitz website)

The study score is available for perusal on the Schott music website. According to their website, the required orchestra is the following :

- 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto sax, 2 bassoons ;
- 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- 4 percussion ;
- harp, harpsichord, piano ;
- strings.

The operetta is in two acts and the performance should last about two hours, interval not included. The cast includes mezzo soprano Elisabeth Holmer (Das Glück / Pandora 1), alto Sophia Maeno (Lady Margaret Hamilton), tenor Reto Rosin (John Blunt), baritone Andreas Kindschuh (George Caswall) and bass baritone Hans Gröning (Sir Robert Harley / Peter Stuyvesant). Ekkehard Klemm conducts the Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie and the Chemnitz Opera Chorus. Robert Lehmeier directs.

Today : world première of 'The Dictator's Wife' by Mohammed Fairouz in Washington

Today, the Washington National Opera and American Opera Initiative present the world première performance of Mohammed Fairouz's new opera, The Dictator's Wife, with a libretto by Mohammed Hanif based on his own play.

It is the composer's second opera after Sumeida's Song, first performed in New York in 2013. A recording of this opera has been published by Bridge Records.

The glamorous yet tormented wife of a once-powerful dictator bemoans that she is now having to answer for all of the terrible atrocities committed by her husband, who has "taken to cowering in the bathroom" as the country falls apart. (reproduced from the Kennedy Center website)

The cast includes mezzo soprano Allegra De Vita (First Lady), soprano Ariana Wehr (Ms. Holy), baritone Hunter Enoch (ADC), mezzo soprano Leah Hawkins (I Will See My Children Mom), tenor Rexford Tester (Give-Me-Cheap-Petrol Protestor) and bass Timothy J. Bruno (Death Row Dad). The ensemble will be conducted by Nicole Paiement and directed by Ethan McSweeny.

The performance should last about 1 hour, with no intermission.

Today : world première of Jake Heggie's 'It's a Wonderful Life' in Houston

Today, the Houston Grand Opera presents the world première performance of Jake Heggie's new opera, It's a Wonderful Life, with a libretto by Gene Scheer based on Philip Van Doren's Stern's story The Greatest Gift, made famous bythe 1946 Frank Capra film.

Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer have already work together on several projects, including operas Three Decembers (Houston, 2008), Moby-Dick (Dallas, 2010), Out of Darkness (Seattle, 2016).

This timeless tale follows a troubled banker whose guardian angel helps us realize the lasting impact our lives can have on those around us. (reproduced from the HGO website)

The cast includes tenor William Burden (George Bailey), soprano Talise Trevigne (Clara), baritone Rod Gilfry (Henry F. Potter and Mr. Gower), soprano Andrea Carroll (Mary Hatch Bailey), baritone Joshua Hopkins (Harry Bailey) and tenor Anthony Dean Griffey (Uncle Billy). Patrick Summers conducts the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Leonard Foglia directs.

The opera should last about 2 hours and  20 minutes, with one intermission.

Today : world première of Pierangelo Valtinoni's 'The Wizard of Oz' in Zurich

Today, the Opernhaus Zürich presents the world première of Pierangelo Valtinoni's Der Zauberer von Oz (The Wizard of Oz) with a libretto by Paolo Madron based on Lyman Frank Baum's fairy tale, in a German version by Hanna Francesconi.

It is Valtinoni's fourth opera after Il ragazzo col violino (1996), Pinocchio (2001, rev. 2006) and The Snow Queen (2010).

Every year in the run-up to Christmas, they glitter on various television channels – and reawaken the child in every adult: Dorothy’s fantastic, magical shoes. The famous screen adaptation of the fairy tale, The Wizard of Oz, with Judy Garland as the plucky Dorothy and her lively little dog Toto, has made the hearts of generations of children beat faster. The adventures of the farm girl from Kansas who grows up with her uncle and aunt begin the moment a dangerous tornado sweeps over the farm and carries off the house, together with Dorothy and her dog, to the far-off land of the Munchkins. The house falls onto the Wicked Witch of the West, of all people, thus triggering a series of fantastical events. Admittedly, the Wicked Witch of the East’s red shoes lend Dorothy magical powers, but she also has to pass the most gruelling of tests. But Dorothy is not alone: on her journey, she encounters a scarecrow whose dearest wish is to be given a real brain rather than merely having a head full of straw. The pair also encounters a rusty tin man who would like to have a heart. Another travelling companion is a lion, who has a powerful roar, but otherwise believes he is very cowardly. Together, they set off to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, who is supposed to help Dorothy find her way home. They are repeatedly threatened by the Wicked Witch of the West, and even the powerful Wizard of Oz ultimately turns out to be a fraud: his spells have no effect. But time and again, the travelling quartet, including the little dog, prove that they have kind hearts, intelligence and courage, and ultimately survive all their adventures with bravura. (reproduced from the Zurich Opera House website)

The cast includes soprano Deanna Breiwick (Dorothy), tenor Iain Milne (Die Vogelscheuche), baritone Cheyne Davidson (Der Blechmann), bass Reinhard Mayr (Der feige Löwe), soprano Hamide Kristoffersen (Die gute Hexe des Nordens / Die gute Hexe des Südens) and actor Daniel Hajdu (Der Zauberer von Oz). Kristiina Poska conducts the Children Chorus of the Zurich Opera and the Philharmonia Zürich. Floris Visser directs.

The performance should last 2 hours and 10 minutes, with one interval.

New programme books for contemporary operas

I have recently received the programme books for the three following performances :

- Jake Heggie : Three Decembers, Milwaukee (Florentine Opera), March 11, 2016 ;
- Bright Sheng : Dream of the Red Chamber, San Franciso, September 10, 2016 ;
- Oscar Strasnoy : Comeback, Berlin (Staatsoper im Schiller Theater), September 30, 2016.

The first one is a 30 pages brochure. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- synopsis ;
- About the Composer ;
- William Florescu : Director's Note ;
- biography of the librettist Gene Scheer ;
- biography of the stage director William Florescu ;
- biography of the conductor Joseph Rescigno ;
- artist biographies, all with color headshots.

The second is a 86 pages magazine. It contains :

- Ken Smith : Dreamweavers - An all-star creative team transports an epic Chinese novel to the operatic stage ;
- Synopsis, personnel, orchestra setting and family tree ;
- complete cast and crew ;
- Ann Waltner : Red Chamber Refelctions ;
- Stephen Roddy : Delving Deeper into 'Dream of the Red Chamber' ;
- Artist profiles with balck and white headshots.

The last one is a poster folded into a 16 pages leaflet. It contains :

- complete cast ;
- biography of Emil Jannings, a character of the opera and first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor ;
- biography of Tilla Durieux, another character of the opera, an Austrian actress ;
- Roman Reeger : Eben war ich noch der Mittelpunkt und jetzt ?

This programme is entirely in German. The scanned covers of all programme books for contemporary operas I have in my collection can be viewed in this flickr folder.

Today : world première of Arthur Lavandier's 'Le Premier meurtre' in Lille

Today, the Opéra de Lille presents the world première of Arthur Lavandier's opera Le Premier meurtre (The First Murder), with a libretto by Federico Flamminio.

It is the composer's second opera after Bobba, first performed in Paris on October 17, 2015.

There are always three stories: the one we tell, the one we wished we had experienced, and the one that sooner or later everyone knows. There are two orchestras : one in the pit, 'wise and beautiful, eclectic and refined like an opera orchestra', the other everywhere else : on stage, in the audience, in the wings, visible or hidden, amplified or not. (freely adapted from the opera website)

The cast includes bass baritone Vincent Le Texier (Gabriel), soprano Léa Trommenschlager (Emma), baritone Taeill Kim (Hippolyte) and soprano Elise Chauvin (Misère). Maxime Pascal conducts the ensemble Le Balcon. Ted Huffman directs. The performance should last 1 hour and 45 minutes (no intermission).

Today : world première of 'Vanda' by Lionel Ginoux in Reims

Today, the Opéra de Reims presents the world première of Vanda, a chamber opera for mezzo-soprano, viola da gamba and electronics, composed by Lionel Ginoux, with a libretto by Jean-Pierre Siméon, after his own play Le Testament de Vanda.

It is the composer's second opera after Medea Kali (Marseilles, 2013).

The text portrays the life of an exiled woman, her struggles and her every day humiliations. It reveals a poignant story of a woman from the Balkans who recounts to her baby the stories of her life, origins and parents, of the love, the war, the violence. (reproduced from the composer's website).

The cast includes mezzo Ambroisine Bré and violist Marie-Suzanne de Loye. Nadine Duffaut directs. The performance should last about 50 minutes.

Today : world première of Johanna Doderer's 'Liliom' in Munich

Today, the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich presents the world première performance of Johanna Doderer's new opera, Liliom, with a libretto by Josef E. Köpplinger.

© Jürgen Heimbach

It is the composer's fourth opera, after Strom (Vienna, 2006), Der leuchtende Fluss (Erfurt, 2010) and Fatiman oder von den mutigen Kinder (Vienna, 2015). A recording of Der leuchtende Fluss has been published by Quinton.

The libretto is freely based on Ferenc Molnar's play.

The fairground barker Liliom is the great attraction of carousel operator Mrs Muskat in the City Park in Budapest. He is young, good-looking and wonderfully masculine. Admittedly, he is also coarse, impetuous and known to the police – but this is what the carousel's female customers love about him, as does Mrs Muskat. The young servant girl Julie is also attracted by the suburban rogue – as he is by her. The result is that he causes both of them to lose their jobs. From then on, Liliom lives off Julie's aunt, beats the girl and gets her pregnant, and proudly refuses all well-intentioned offers of help. When a false friend talks him into committing robbery and murder with the aim of solving their financial problems, which ultimately goes horribly wrong, the rogue escapes responsibility for his actions by committing suicide and ends up in the courts of heavenly justice. There, the unrepentant man is offered one last chance to do something good so that he can dredge his soul of the deep mire in which it has landed … (reproduced from the theater's website)

The cast includes tenor Daniel Prohaska (Liliom), soprano Camille Schnoor (Julie), soprano Cornelia Zink (Marie), mezzo Angelika Kirchschlager (Frau Muskat), bass Holger Ohlmannn (Der Drechsler) and tenor Juan Carlos Falcón (Linzmann). Michael Brandstätter conducts the Children Chorus, Chorus and Orchestra of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz. Josef E. Köpplinger directs.

The performances take place at the Reithalle. BR-Klassik will record the first performance and broadcast it on December 3.

Today : world première of Filippo Perocco's 'Aquagranda' in Venezia

Today, the Teatro La Fenice in Venezia presents the world première performance of Filippo Perocco's new opera, Aquagranda, with a libretto by Roberto Bianchin and Luigi Cerantola.

It is the composer's first opera.

On 4 November 1966 Venice was struck by terrible floods. That day saw the highest high water ever recorded since the systematic recordings of the phenomenon had begun: at 18.00 the mareograph at Punta della Salute showed 194 cm. The consequences of the flood were terrible. The worst hit area was Pellestrina, the island where the new opera by Filippo Perocco is set. At that time the protagonist, Ernesto Ballarin was twenty-five years old when the sea broke through the Murazzi and flooded his house up to the roof so that he had no choice but to leave his house and island, together with another three thousand people.(reproduced from the opera house's website).

The cast includes bass Andrea Mastroni (Fortunato), tenor Mirko Guadagnini (Ernesto), soprano Giulia Bolcato (Lilli) and mezzo Silvia Regazzo (Leda). Marco Angius conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice. Damiano Michieletto directs.

The performance should last about 80 minutes. A recording of the first performance will be broadcast later on the same evening by Rai Radio 3. Culturebox will have a video recording of the opera available for viewers starting on November 12.

Today : world première of Martin Matalon's 'L'Ombre de Venceslao' in Rennes

Today, the Opéra de Rennes presents the world première performance of Martin Matalon's opera L'Ombre de Venceslao (Venceslao's Shadow), with a libretto by Jorge Lavelli after Copi's play.

It is the composer's second opera after Le Miracle Secret (Avignon, 1989).

Venceslao is a poor but proud man, living surrounded by his family and their animals. When his daughter China leaves home for Buenos Aires, he rushes into an errance that will lead him to the Iguazu falls. (freely adapted from the Opéra de Rennes website)

The cast includes baritone Thibaut Desplantes (Venceslao), tenor Ziad Nehme (Rogelio), soprano Estelle Poscio (China), alto Sarah Laulan (Mechita) and baritone Mathieu Gardon (Largui). Ernest Martinez Izquierdo conducts the Orchestre symphonique de Bretagne. Jorge Lavelli directs.

The opera should last about 85 minutes. In the next months, the opera will be performed in Toulon, Reims, Avignon, Clermont-Ferrand, Toulouse, Marseille, Bordeaux and Montpellier. The score is published by Gérard Billaudot.

Today : world première of Robert Aldridge's 'Sister Carrie' in Milwaukee

Today, the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee presents the world première performance of Robert Aldridge's new opera, Sister Carrie, with a libretto by Herschel Garfein after Theodore Dreiser's novel.

It is Aldridge's second opera after Elmer Gantry (Nashville, 2007).

The opera unveils the tortuous path to fame for a small town girl, as America industrialized and large segments of the rural populace flooded into an urban sea of humanity. (reproduced from the Florentine Opera website)

The cast includes mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala (Carie), baritone Keith Phares (Hurstwood), soprano Alisa Jordheim (Lola) and tenor Matt Morgan (Drouet). William Boggs conducts the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Florentine Opera Chorus. William Florescu directs.

A recording of Elmer Gantry, produced in Milwaukee has been released by Naxos. It is announced that this new opera will also be recorded.

Today : world première of Gisle Kverndokk's 'Around the World in 80 Days' in Linz

Today, the Landestheater Linz presents the world première of the new musical version of Gisle Kverndokk's Around the World in Eighty Days, with a libretto by Øystein Wiik, based on Jules Verne's novel.

The first version was created in May 2010 in Oslo. Kverndokk has composed several works for the stage, including Den fjerde nattevakt (The Fourth Watch of the Night), first performed in Oslo in 2005.

In a wager with Stuart at his London Club, Phileas Fogg claims that he can circumnavigate the world in 80 days! He goes on the journey with his servant Passepartout, closely followed by detective Fionula Fix who was hired by Stuart. Fogg's agenda is in danger: In Paris, he happens upon a Glawari festival, in Rome, Tosca falls into his arms, in Beijing, Turandot wants to have him beheaded! The fact that Fogg is triumphant in the end, is as miraculous as if it were grand opera… (reproduced from the Landestheater Linz website)

The cast includes Alen Hodzovic (Phileas Fogg), Rob Pelzer (Passepartout) and Daniela Dett (Fionula Fix). Either Stefan Diederich or Borys Sitarski conducts the Bruckner Orchester Linz and the Landestheater Linz Chorus. Matthias Davids directs. The performance should last about 2 hours and 30 minutes.