New scores of contemporary operas in my collection

Since October 2014, I have acquired 50 new scores of contemporary operas. Here they are :

- John Adams : A Flowering Tree, full score, Hendon Music, 2006, 377 p.
It contains : the plot, cast, table of contents and detailed orchestral setting.
- John Adams : El Niño, full score, Hendon Music, 2000, 382 p.
It contains : instrumentation, table of contents.
- Thomas Adès : Powder Her Face, full score, Faber Music, 2015, 549 p.
It contains : characters with complete cast for the first performance (London, Almeida Theatre, July 5, 1995), Ensemble, Percussion requirements, Performance notes, Scenes, Synopsis (5 pages)

- Gerald Barry : The Importance of Being Earnest, full score, Schott Music, 312 p.
It contains : casts for first concert performance (Los Angeles, CA, April 7, 2011) and first staged performance (Nancy, March 17, 2013), characters, instrumentation, performance notes.
- Giorgio Battistelli : Prova d'orchestra, full score (facsimile), Ricordi, 1997, 356 p.
It contains the full orchestral setting.
- George Benjamin : Written on Skin, full score, Faber Music, 2015, 401 p.
It contains : cast for the first performance (Aix-en-Provence, July 7, 2012), characters, instrumentation, percussion requirements, percussion distribution by player, performance notes, synopsis.

- Luciano Berio : Cronaca del luogo, full score (facsimile), Ricordi, 1999, 229 p.
It contains : characters, instrumentation.
- Luciano Berio : Outis, full score (facsimile), Ricordi, 1996, 357 p.
It contains : instrumentation, characters.
- Philippe Boesmans : Julie, full score, Ricordi, 2004, 385 p.
It contains : characters and instrumentation.

- Philippe Boesmans : Reigen, full score (facsimile), Ricordi, 2003, 451 p.
It contains : characters with vocal ranges, instrumentation
- Hans-Jürgen von Bose : Schlachhot V, full score, Ricordi, 1995, 508 p.
It contains : date of the world première performance (Munich, July 1, 1996), characters, instrumentation.
- Luc Brewaeys : L'Uomo dal fiore in bocca, full score, Donemus, 2014, 83 p.
It contains : cast for the first performance (Brussels, February 9, 2007), scoring, performance note.

- Elliott Carter : What Next ?, full score, Boosey & Hawkes, 2011, 281 p.
It contains : characters, situation, percussion key, orchestra and soloists.
- Azio Corghi : Il dissoluto assolto, full score, Ricordi, 2004, XVI - 311 p.
It contains : characters, instrumentation, details of the percussion section, complete libretto in Italian.
- Randal Corsen : Katibu di Shon, full score, Donemus, 2013, 259 p.
It contains : scoring and duration.

- Peter Eötvös : Lady Sarashina, full score, Ricordi, 2007, 223 p.
It contains : complete cast for the world première performance (Lyon, March 4, 2008), orchestration, technical requirements, list of percussion instruments.
- Scott Eyerly : The House of the Seven Gables, vocal score, Bill Holab Music, 2001, 455 p.
It contains : setting, thumbnail sketch, scenes, principals, supporting roles, production notes, optional cuts, cast for the world première (Manhattan School of Music, NY, December 6, 2000), instrumentation, detailed synopsis, contents (13 pages altogether).
- Luca Francesconi : Ballata, full score (2 volumes, facsimile), Ricordi, 2002, 491 p.
It contains : contents, orchestration, characters.

- Osvaldo Golijov : Ainadamar, full score, Boosey & Hawkes, 2003, 209 p.
It contains : contents, instrumentation, approximate duration.
- Micha Hamel : Snow White, full score (3 volumes), Donemus, 2007, 639 p.
It contains : complete cast for the world première performance (Nationale Reisopera, January 2008), duration, the complete libretto (in English), the detailed scoring.
- Jake Heggie : Dead Man Walking, full score, Bnt Pen Music, 2004, 2 volumes, 543 p.
Additionnal information include : cast of the first performance (San Francisco, October 7, 2000), orchestration, cast of characters, contents with setting and characters.
 

- Jake Heggie : The End of the Affair, full score, Bent Pen Music, 2009, 2 volumes, 612 p.
The first volume gives the following information : orchestration, cast for the world première performance (Houston, March 4, 2004), characters, and contents.
- Jake Heggie : Moby-Dick, vocal score, Bent Pen Music, 2011, 586 p.
It contains : cast for the the world première (Dallas, April 30, 2010), cast of characters, contents.
- Jake Heggie : Three Decembers, full score, Bent Pen Music, 2013, 171 p.
It contains : cast for the first performance (Houston, February 29, 2008), instrumentation, characters, time and place.

- Bo Holten : Gesualdo - Shadows, full score, Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2014, 119 + 122 p.
The score contains no additional information about the work.
- Bo Holten : Livlægens Besøg (The Visit of the Royal Physician), full score (2 volumes, facsimile), Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2009, 440 p.
The score contains no additional information about the work.
- Guus Janssen : Noach, full score (2 volumes), Donemus, 1998, 299 p.
It contains : contents, cast, instrumentation, duration.

 - Willem Jeths : Hôtel de Pékin - Dreams for a Dragon Queen, full score (2 volumes), Muziek Centrum Nederland, 2010, 179 + 98 p.
It contains : instrumentation, cast, duration.
- Niels Marthinsen, Skriftestolen (The Confessional), full score (2 volumes), Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2006, 623 p.
It contains : characters, contents, instrumentation.
- Niels Marthinsen, Snehvides Spejl (Snow White's Mirror), full score (2 volumes), Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2011, 454 p.
It contains : contents, characters, duration, instrumentation.

- Martijn Padding, Laika, full score (4 volumes), Stichting Donemus Beheer, 2013, 121 + 66 + 95 + 79 p.
It contains : contents, duration, characters, instrumentation.
- Stephen Paulus : The Postman always Rings Twice, full score (2 volumes, facsimile), Schott, 1982,
475 p.
It contains : cast, places, orchestration, a note on the set, contents with description.
- Tobias Picker : Dolores Claiborne, full score (2 volumes), Schott Helicon Music Corporation, 2013,
252 + 185 p.
It contains : composer's note, complete cast for the world première performance (San Francisco,
September 18, 2013), table of contents, instrumentation, cast of characters.

- Tobias Picker : Emmeline, full score (2 volumes), Schott Helicon Music Corporation, 1996, 213 + 219 p.
It contains : places of action, characters, instrumentation.
- Tobias Picker : Fantastic Mr. Fox, full score (2 volumes), Schott Helicon Music Corporation, 1998,
379 p.
It contains : cast of creatures, instrumentation, table of contents.
- Tobias Picker : Thérèse Raquin, full score (2 volumes), Schott Helicon Music Corporation, 2002, 432 p.
The score contains no additional information about the work.

- Kevin Puts : Silent Night, full score, Aperto Press, 2011, 249 p.
It contains : cast, contents, instrumentation, cast for the world première (Saint Paul, MN, November 12, 2011), creative team.
- Aribert Reimann : Melusine, full score, Schott, 2017, 409 p.
It contains : characters, instrumentation, duration, table of contents.
- Poul Ruders : Kafka's Trial, full score (2 volumes), Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2014, 559 p.
It contains : orchestra, scene breakdown, characters, abbreviations.

- Salvatore Sciarrino : Lohengrin, full score (facsimile), Ricordi, 1984, 5 + 131 p.
It contains : characters, instrumentation, symbols and performance notes.
- Salvatore Sciarrino : Luci mie traditrici, full score, Ricordi, 1998, XIV - 276 p.
It contains : table of contents, instrumentation, characters, complete libretto (in Italian), technical notes for the performance.
- Salvatore Sciarrino : Macbeth, full score, Ricordi, 2001, 373 p.
It contains : introduction by the composer, characters, instrumentation, table of contents, technical notes for the performance.

- Rodion Shechedrin : Boyarina Morozova, full score, Schott, 2008, 167 p.
It contains : cast for the world première performance (Moscow, October 30, 2006), characters, instrumentation, duration, complete libretto in German and in English.
- Rodion Shchedrin : A Christmas Tale, full score, Schott, 2017, 394 p.
It contains : cast for the world première performance (Saint Petersburg, December 26, 2015), characters, orchestra, table of contents, complete libretto in Russian, English and German.
- Rodion Shchedrin : The Left-Hander, full score, Schott, 2014, 302 p.
It contains : dates of concert and staged premières (Saint Petersburg, June 26 and July 27, 2013), characters, orchestra, table of contents, complete libretto in English (separate booklet).

- Marijn Simons : Emilia Galotti, full score (2 volumes), Stichting Donemus Beheer, 311 p.
It contains : cast for the world première performance (Koblenz, October 25, 2014), duration, characters, instrumentation, play modes.
- Giuseppe Sinopoli : Lou Salomé, full score (facsimile), Casa Ricordi, 1980, 257 p.
The score contains no additional information about the work.
- Mikis Theodorakis : Medea, full score (2 volumes), Schott, 2014, 388 + 407 p.
It contains : date of first performance (Bilbao, October1st, 1991), duration, details of recording (Wergo), instrumentation, characters, table of contents, detailed synopsis in English, Greek, German and French.

- Michael Torke : Strawberry Fields, full score, Adjustable Music, 2005, 135 p.
It contains : cast, instrumentation, first performance (Cooperstown, NY, July 17, 1999).
- Huw Watkins : In the Locked Room, full score, Schott, 2012, 154 p.
It contains : date of the first performance (Edinburgh, August 30, 2012), duration, characters, instrumentation.

I now have 95 scores of contemporary operas. I have catalogued all my books, opera recordings and scores on LibraryThing. Here is the link to the scores collection.

Today : world première of 'Coraline' by Mark-Anthony Turnage in London

Today, the Royal Opera House presents the world première performance of Mark-Anthony Turnage's Coraline, an opera for family audience, with a libretto by Rory Mullarkey based on the novel by Neil Gaiman.

(c) Philip Gatward

It is the composer's fifth opera. His previous works for the stage include Greek (1988), The Silver Tassie (2000) and Anna Nicole (2011).

Coraline opens a mysterious door in her parents’ home to discover an Other World. It is inhabited by her Other Mother and Other Father, who have buttons instead of eyes. Everything seems better in the Other World – to start with, at least…
Coraline discovers that the Other Mother wants to trap her in the Other World forever, and has kidnapped Coraline’s real parents to try to force her hand. But Coraline tricks her and she and her parents finally escape safely back home. (reproduced from the Royal Opera House website)

The cast includes soprano Mary Bevan (Coraline), mezzo Kitty Whately (Moter / Other Mother), baritone Alexander Robin Baker (Father / Other Father), soprano Gillian Keith (Miss Spink), mezzo Frances McCafferty (Miss Forcible) and tenor Harry Nicoll (Mr Bobo). Sian Edwards conducts the Britten Sinfonia. Aletta Collins conducts. The opera is performed at the Barbican Theatre.

The full score is published by Boosey & Hawkes. It is available for online perusal. According to the score, the requested orchestra is the following :

- flute (doubling piccolo), oboe (doubling Cor anglais), clarinet in Bb, bass clarinet, basson, horn in F ;
- trumpet in C, trombone ;
- harp, piano (doubling celesta), percussion (1) ;
- 1 violin, 1 viola, 2 cellos, 1 double bass.

The performance should last about 90 minutes.

Today : world première of Giorgio Battistelli's 'Wake' in Birmingham

Today, the Birmingham Opera Company presents the world première of Giorgio Battistelli's new opera, Wake, with a libretto by Sarah Woods.

Battistelli has already composed about 20 stage works, including Il Medico dei pazzi (Nancy, June 2014), CO2 (Milano, May 2015) and Lot (Hannover, April 2017).

Wake begins with the death of Lazarus, and the desperation of Martha and Mary, which becomes an echo of the injustice and unhappiness of man’s lot. But when Lazarus is brought back to life by Jesus, he is no longer able to cope with the reality he’d left behind. The celebration of his return is haunted by the despair over his non-return. Everything has changed, nothing is as it once was. Only in the end, in a boat surrounded by a sea of people telling their own stories, does Lazarus regain hope and his own humanity thanks to the solidarity among the desperate. (reproduced from the Ricordi website)

The cast includes soprano Nardus Williams (Martha), soprano Mimi Doulton (Mary), baritone Elliott Carlton Hines (Jesus) and tenor Joshua Stewart (Lazarus). Jonathon Heyward conducts the orchestra. Graham Vick directs.

The full score is available on the Ricordi website. It includes the composition of the required orchestra :

- 3 (II also picc., III picc.).1 (also cor.i.).5 (I Picc. in Mib, II in Sib e La, also Picc. in Mib, III bcl., IV dbcl. also bcl.). 2 (II dbn.) ;
- 4.2.2.2 tu. wag. 1. ;
- 2 acc., 4 perc., 2 grand piano, harp, guit. ;
- strings : 1.1.1.1.1.

The performance should last about 75 minutes.

Today : world première of 'Der Goldkäfer' by Dai Fujikura in Basel

Today, the Theater Basel presents the world première of Dai Fujikura's new opera, Der Goldkäfer (The Gold-Bug), with a libretto by Hannah Dübgen based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story.

 

(c) Milena Mihaylova

It is the composer's second opera after Solaris (Paris, 2015).

A powerful storm is raging over the island when Albert and his daughter Lilith knock at Sam and his grandfather William’s door. William opens up and tells them excitedly of his latest discovery, a beautiful, precious glittering golden bug. He is convinced that the insect has magic powers and tries everything he can think of to unlock them. In the process the boundaries between fantasy and reality become increasingly blurred and soon the four characters find themselves caught up in a thrilling adventure with secret messages, pirate escapades and a legendary treasure trove. (reproduced from the Theater Basel website)

The cast includes soprano Sarah Brady (Lilith), baritone Domen Krizaj (Albert), tenor Matthew Swensen (Sam), bass José Coca Loza (Wilhelm Legrand) and mezzo Anastasia Bickel (Anneli). Stephen Delaney conducts the orchestra. Julia Hölscher directs.

The performance should last about 70 minutes.

Receivd this morning : program book for 'Lunea' by Heinz Holliger in Zurich

This Thursday morning, I have received in the mail the program book published by Opernhaus Zürich for the world première performance of Lunea, composed by Heinz Holliger. It took place on March 4.

It is a 96 pages book. It contains :

- color photos of rehearsals ;
- detailed synopsis, scene by scene ;
- Fantasie, die keine Grenzen kennt, interview with composer Heinz Holliger, by Claus Spahn ;
- Der Künstler als Getriebener - Über das Leben des Dichters Nikolaus Lenau, by Michael Ritter ;
- Lunea - Eine Mondoper - Zur Musik von Heinz Holligers neuem Werk für Musiktheater, by Roman Brotbeck ;
- Kammerspielartige Verdichtung, interview with director Andreas Homoki, by Claus Spahn ;
- Asche, im Mörser zerrieben, by librettist Händl Klaus ;
- Höchste Freude unf tiefste Düsterkeit, excerpts from letters by Nikolaus Lenau to Sophie von Löwenthal ;
- complete libretto.

The book is entirely in German. There is also a 16 pages booklet with the complete cast and biographies of the artists, with black and white headshots.

I now have 519 progrm books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all covers and uploaded them to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'The Collected Works of Billy the Kid' by Gavin Bryars in Lyon

Today, the Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse in Lyon presents the world première of the new chamber opera composed by Gavin Bryars, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, with a libretto in French and English written by Jean Lacornerie based on the book by Michael Ondaatje.

It is the 7th opera composed by Gavin Bryars. His previous stage works include Doctor Ox's Experiment (London ENO, 1998) and Marilyn Forever (Victoria BC, 2013).

William H. Bonney, known commonly as Billy the Kid, was an American Old West gunfighter, who participated in New Mexico’s Lincoln County War and is known to have killed eight men. Ondaatje’s book depicts the last year of the outlaw’s life, though the text is not intended to make a linear account of events. Instead, the text explores the mind of a cold-blooded killer who has become the subject of legend from recollections of people who had met Billy interspersed with poems from the writer’s own imagination. (reproduced from the publisher's website).

The cast includes soprano Claron McFadden (Woman) and baritone Bertrand Belin (Man). They are joined by the Percussions Claviers de Lyon, conducted by Gérard Lecointe. Jean Lacornerie directs.

The performance should last 60 minutes. The first part of the evening consists of a performance of Ben Johnston's Calamity Jane to Her Daughter (1993).

The full score of the opera is available for perusal on the Schott Music website.

Today : world première of 'Lunea' by Heinz Holliger in Zürich

Today, the Opernhaus Zürich presents the world première of Heinz Holliger's new opera, Lunea, with a libretto by Händl Klaus inspired by poet Nikolaus Lenau's life. The opera is subtitled '23 pages from a life'.

It is the composer's sixth opera, almost 20 years after Schneewittchen (Zürich, October 1998).

A dramatist, political intellectual, guitarist and violinist, as well as the most successful lyricist of the Biedermeier period, Lenau was a highly talented polymath. He led a restless, intense life informed by his love for a succession of women before becoming mentally deranged in 1844, remaining in psychiatric care until his death in 1850. His most passionate and almost lifelong love affair was with Sophie von Löwenthal, the wife of his friend Max. With Sophie, Lenau maintained a dual correspondence that was split between “official” letters and unrestrainedly intimate messages. (reproduced from the Zurich Opera House website)

The cast includes baritone Christian Gerhaher (Lenau), soprano Juliane Banse (Sophie von Löwenthal), baritone Ivan Ludlow (Anton Schurz), soprano Sarah Maria Sun (Marie Behrends / Karoline Unger) and mezzo Annette Schönmüller (Therese Schurz). Heinz Holliger himself conducts the Philharmonia Zürich and the Basler Madrigalisten. Andreas Homoki directs.

According to the full score available for perusal on the Schott Music website, the required orchestra is the following :

- 2 flutes (also 2 piccolo, 1 alto flute and 1 bass flute), 2 oboes (also 1 English horn), 2 clarinets in B (also 1 clarinet in A and 2 bass clarinets in B), 1 contrabass clarinet in B (also bass clarinet in B), 2 bassoons (also 1 contrabassoon) ;
- 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 2 trombones ;
- timpani, percussion (4 players), cymbal, harp, celesta, piano ;
- strings (4.2.2.2.2).

The performance should last 1 hour and 45 minutes and there is no interval.

March 2 : world première of Gintaras Sodeika's 'Post Futurum' in Vilnius

On March 2, the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre presented the world première of Post Futurum, an opera in 2 acts composed by Gintaras Sodeika with a libretto by Sigitas Parulskis, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania's independence. 

Dmitry Matveyev    © LMIPC

It is the composer's third opera, after Solitude for Two (chamber opera, 2003) and Vinter (Chamber Opera, 2006).

While writing the music for “Post “Futurum” I was interested in discovering how much life was there still left in opera today: what can one still do with this half living, half dead genre? The actuality of opera is also discussed in the libretto, in a dialogue between God and Satan. The latter is offering to display all events of the past through the form of an opera; God retorts that he hates opera, for it is a dead art. And although this problem is not displayed in the foreground, it is still yet another provocation. On the surface, we are retelling a 100-year-old story, and yet the chosen musical language, the expression of a synthetic work initiates a discussion whether opera may still live today and remain interesting. Can we repeat the epoch of Verdi, when people would come to theatre and fully understand what the characters on stage were talking about? Is it still possible? This question is very important and interesting to me.  (written by the composer for the LNOBT website)

The cast includes bass Egidijus Dauskurdis, tenor Rafilas Karpis, baritone Dainius Stumbras and mezzo Laima Jonutyte. The orchestra and chorus of the LNOBT are conducted by Robertas Servenikas or Julius Geniusas.