Saturday 25 March 2017

Today : world première of Moritz Eggert's 'Caliban' in Amsterdam


Today, the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam presents the world première of Moritz Eggert's Caliban, a chamber opera with a libretto by Peter te Nuyl based on William Shakeseare's The Tempest. Like The New Prince yesterday, it is part of the Opera Forward Festival.


Moritz Eggert already composed several works for the stage including Freax (Bonn, 2007 in concert, Regensburg, 2017), Linkerhand (Hoyeswerda, 2009), Terra Nova (Linz, 2016).
In a society ruled by success, beauty, talent and fame, there is little scope for the underdog; for someone who has never made it and probably never will. Caliban is the ultimate anti-hero. After being abandoned in the forest as a child, he leads a life of slavery. He has a huge inferiority complex, is not very smart and fails in his attempt to free himself. (reproduced from the DNO website)
The cast includes baritone Michael Wilmering (Caliban), soprano Alexandra Flood (Miranda / Trinculo), tenor Timothy Fallon (Stephano / Ferdinand) and tenor Alexander Oliver (Prospero). Steven Sloane conducts the Asko Schönberg Ensemble. Lotte de Beer directs.

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

- contrabass flute / flute / piccolo, clarinet / bass clarinet, trumpet, tenor / bass trombone ;
- percussion (1 player) ;
- keyboard / toy piano, accordion :
- violin, viola, cello, double bass.

The performance will take place at Het Compagnietheater and should last about 90 minutes. The work is published by Sikorski.

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