Today : world première of 'Schoenberg in Hollywood' by Tod Machover in Boston

Today, the Boston Lyric Opera presents the world première of Schoenberg in Hollywood, an opera composed by Tod Machover with a libretto by Simon Robson based on a scenario by Braham Murray.

It is the composer's sixth opera after, among others, Valis (Paris, 1987), Resurrection (Houston, 1999) and Death and the Powers (Monaco, September 2010).

The brilliant composer Arnold Schoenberg fled the darkness and despair of Hitler’s Europe and found himself in 1930s Hollywood — a bold, new world of golden sunshine and camera-ready beauty. Can he find a way to reconcile reflection with action, and tradition with revolution ? What is the meaning of art in the wake of atrocity ? (reproduced from the BLO website)

The cast includes baritone Omar Ebrahim (Schoenberg), soprano Sara Womble (Girl) and tenor Jesse Darden (Boy). David Angus conducts the orchestra. Karole Armitage directs.

The venue is the Robert J. Orchard Stage at the Emerson/Paramount Center. The performance should last about 90 minutes, with no intermission.

Today : world première of 'Mr. Burke and Mr. Hare' by Julian Grant in Boston (MA)

Today, the Boston Lyric Opera presents the world première performance of The Nefarious, Immoral but Highly Profitable Enterprise of Mr. Burke and Mr. Hare, a chamber opera composed by Julian Grant, with a libretto by Mark Campbell based on real events.

Since 1986 and the chamber opera King's Children, Julian Grant has composed several works for the stage, including dance operas, chamber operas, children's operas and community operas.

Edinburgh, 1828. The city’s world-renowned anatomy schools suffer from a cadaver shortage. Two industrious men — William Burke and William Hare — find lucrative work by murdering disenfranchised citizens and selling their corpses to Dr. Knox’s academy. (reproduced from the BLO website)

The cast includes tenor William Burden (Dr. Robert Knox), baritone Jesse Blumberg (William Burke), bass-baritone Craig Colclough (William Hare), soprano Michelle Trainor (Helen McDougal), soprano Marie McLaughlin (Abigail Simpson) and baritone David Cushing (Donald). David Angus conducts the Chamber Ensemble from the Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra. David Schweizer directs.

The venue is the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. The performance should last about 90 minutes.

Today : world première of Hannah Lash's 'Beowulf' in Boston

Today, Guerilla Opera presents the world première performance of Hannah Lash's opera Beowulf, with a libretto by the composer, at the Boston Conservatory (Zack Box Theater).

It is the composer's first opera. The libretto is based on the Old English epic poem written between the 8th and early 11th century by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet. The libretto investigates what it means to be a hero.

Beowulf is a doctor caring for his elderly mother and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stresses upon his return from a recent war. (reproduced from the Guerilla Opera website)

The cast includes baritone Brian Church (Beowulf), soprano Aliana de la Guardia (Mother) and tenor Brendan Buckley (Nurse). Andrew Eggert directs. The singers are accompanied by clarinet, saxophone, violin and percussion.

The performance of this chamber opera in 2 acts should last about 80 minutes. The production program, synopsis and libretto can be downloaded from the Guerilla Opera website.

In 2006, another opera with a libretto after the same poem was composed by Elliot Goldenthal and directed by Julie Taymor. Commissioned by Los Angeles Opera, it was given its world premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on June 8, 2006.

May 15th, 2015 : world première of 'Pedr Solis' by Per Bloland in Boston (MA)

Today Per Bloland's new opera, Pedr Solis, with a libretto by Paul Schick in English and Old Norse languages will be performed in Boston (MA).

The opera is a commission of Guerilla Opera, and performances will take place at the Zack Box at the Boston Conservatory. The libretto (which can be downloaded from the Guerilla Opera website) is based on The Tower, a play by Hugo von Hofmannsthal and the life of Norwegian author Pedr Solis in the late 1960s.

A figure is written into a structure located in a timeless mythic landscape somewhere in the north of Norway. He explores its modernist architecture, but increasingly the irrational encroaches, and order disintegrates. Pedr’s novel character is released from captivity and undertakes to overthrow the author and usurp his role in Oslo. The revolution succeeds, but Edda forces incipient at the borders burst in to subsume the story. The Norwegian god Loki soliloquies. (reproduced from the Guerilla Opera website)

The orchestra consists of five musicians playing clarinets, violin, saxophones, percussion and electronics. The singers are mezzo Carrie Cheron (Doctor), baritone Brian Church (Pedr Solis), soprano Aliana de la Guardia (Adrian) and countertenor Douglas Dodson (Ignis). All together as a chorus they also incarnate Loki. Laine Rettmer directs.

The first performance will be streamed live on the Guerilla Opera website.

Received in the mail this Tuesday morning

This Tuesday morning, I have received the following in the mail :

- Boston, Lyric Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Dijon, Opéra : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Lyon, Opéra : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Rennes, Opéra : 2014-2015 season program brochure ;
- Rouen, Opéra : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Toronto, Canadian Opera Company : 2014-2015 season brochure.