Today, the Wiener Staatsoper presents the world première of Orlando, an opera in 19 scenes composed by Olga Neuwirth with a libretto by Catherine Filloux and Olga Neuwirth after Virginia Woolf's novel.
(C) Harald Hoffmann
It is the composer's fourth opera after Bählamms Fest (Vienna, June 19, 1999), Lost Highway (Graz, October 31, 2003) and American Lulu (Berlin, September 30, 2012).
Ever since I was a child I have been interested in everything from the arts to politics, from the sciences to human psychology (…) I have let myself be inspired by the small and big things that the world has to offer, by the wonderful diversity of life, and I see this reflected in Orlando. For it is a love of oddities, of the paradoxical, the grotesque, virtuosity, exaltation and exaggeration that are the essence of this fictional biography, which aims to create a new morphology of narration. At all times it is also about (…) a sophisticated and highly subtle form of sexual attraction that rejects being pigeonholed in any one gender. As well as about refusing to be patronised and treated in a condescending manner – something that continually happens to women, with no end in sight. (reproduced from the Wiener Staatsoper website)The cast includes mezzo Kate Lindsey (Orlando), countertenor Eric Jurenas (Angel), soprano Agneta Eichenholz (Sasha) and baritone Leigh Melrose (Shelmerdine). Matthias Pintscher conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Vienna State Opera. Karoline Gruber directs.
The following orchestra is required (according to the Ricordi website) :
- 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons ;
- 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone ;
- timpani ;
- strings (12.10.8.6.4).
The score is published by Ricordi.
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