Today, Gordon Getty's third opera, The Canterville Ghost, with a libretto written by the composer after Oscar Wilde's short story, will be performed for the first time in Leipzig (Opera House).
It is Getty's third opera after Usher House and Plump Jack. It requires the following orchestra :
- 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon
- 2 horns, trumpet, 2 trombones, tuba
- 2 percussion, harp, piano / celesta / harpsichord
- strings
It is at least the third opera inspired by this story, after works by Alexander Knaifel and Jaroslav Křička.
The Ghost tries desperately to scare to new residents of the Canterville-Castel. It is the story telling of Virginia Otis and her meeting with the Canterville Ghost who once was a successful scary Ghost but is not any more taken seriously by the Otis family who rented Canterville Manor. The Ghost feels like an old great actor whose art does not impress any more. Virginia helps him to rest for ever. (reproduced from the Oper Leipzig website)The cast is the following : soprano Jennifer Porto (Virginia), mezzo Jean Broekhuizenrs (Mrs. Otis), mezzo Denise Wernly (1st Twin, 1st Boy, 1st Voice from Tapestry), mezzo Rachel Marie Hauge (2nd Twin, 2nd Boy, 2nd Voice from Tapestry), tenor Timothy Oliver (Cecil Cheshire), baritone Jonathan Michie (Hiram Otis), bass Matthew Trevino (Ghost / Sir Simon).
Matthias Foremny conducts the Gewandhausorchester. Anthony Pilavachi directs.
The opera should last about 60 minutes and is performed as the first part of a double bill evening also featuring Ruggerro Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
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