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.