Today : world première of 'Blind Injustice' by Scott Davenport Richards in Cincinnati

Today, the Cincinnati Opera presents the world première of Blind Injustice, an opera composed by Scott Davenport Richards with a libretto by David Cote based on Mark Godsey's book.

It is the composer's first opera.

You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. A child’s words are twisted. You might look like someone who committed a crime. Suddenly, your world is taken away. You’re in prison for a crime you did not commit, and no one is helping you get out. This was reality for Rickey Jackson, Nancy Smith, Clarence Elkins, and the East Cleveland 3 — Derrick Wheatt, Laurese Glover, and Eugene Johnson. (reproduced from the Cincinnati Opera website)

The cast includes baritone Joseph Lattanzi (Prosecutor), baritone Eric Shane (Rickey Jackson), tenor Thomas J. Capobianco (Clarence Elkins), baritone Sankara Harouna (Derrick Wheatt), tenor Terrence Chin-Loy (Laurese Glover) and bass baritone Miles Wilson-Toliver (Eugene Johnson). John Morris Russell conducts a 12-piece orchestra and YPCC members (Young Professionals Choral Collective). Robin Guarino directs.

The performance should last about 90 minutes. No intermission. The venue is the Music Hall's Wilks Studio.

Received in the mail this morning : program books from Mannheim and Cincinnati

This Thursday morning, I have received two program books for contemporary operas :

- Ricky Ian Gordon : Morning Star, Cincinnati, June 30 ;
- Lucia Ronchetti : Esame di mezzanotte, Mannheim, May 29.

The first one is a 96 pages book. It contains the complete program for the 2015 season at the Cincinnati Opera. 5 pages are dedicated to Gordon's opera. It is entirely in English. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- synopsis, written by stage director Ron Daniels ;
- Ricky Ian Gordon : The Birth of 'Morning Star' ;
- biographies of all season artists, with black and white headshot.

The second is a 104 pages book. It is entirely in German. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- color photos of the piano dress rehearsal (May 19) ;
- an article by composer Lucia Ronchetti on libretto source and librettist Ermanno Cavazzoni ;
- Le tentazioni di Girolamo, by librettist Ermanno Cavazzoni ;
- detailed synopsis ;
- Helga de la Motte-Haber : Nachtmahre ;
- director Achim Freyer : Gedanken zur Uraufführung ;
- Bibliotheksmusik, a dialogue with composer Lucia Ronchetti and dramaturge Elena Garcia Fernandez ;
- Stefano Nardelli : Lucia Ronchetti : zeitgenössisches Empfinden mit barocken Wurzeln ;
- complete bilingual (Italian and German) libretto.

There are no biographies.
The covers of all the program book for contemporary operas I have can be seen in this flickr folder.

June 30th : world première of Ricky Ian Gordon's 'Morning Star' in Cincinnati

Today, Ricky Ian Gordon's new opera, Rising Star, with a libretto by William M. Hoffman after Sylvia Regan's 1940 play, will be performed for the first time in Cincinnati, at the SCPA's Corbett Theater.

It is the composer's 11th opera, after The Grapes of Wrath (2007), A Coffin in Egypt (2014) and Twenty-Seven (2014).

1910. New York’s Lower East Side. Their homeland now a memory, Becky Felderman and her children find hope in the promise of life in the New World. As decades unfold, their dreams are tarnished by hardships — the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, World War I, and the Great Depression. Their story is one of triumph and tragedy, struggle and sympathy, and a family that abides the trials of a lifetime. (reproduced from the Cincinnati Opera website)

The cast includes soprano Twyla Robinson (Becky), mezzo Elizabeth Pojanowski (Sadie), soprano Jennifer Zetlan (Fanny), soprano Elizabeth Zharoff (Esther), baritone Morgan Smith (Aaron Greenspan), tenor Andrew Bidlack (Irving Tashman), baritone Andrew Lovato (Harry Engel), Kenneth Shaw (Rabbi Engel), Jeanine De Bique (Pearl) and Larry D. Hylton (Prince). Christopher Allen conducts the Chorus and Orchestra. Ron Daniels directs.

The performance (2 acts) should last about 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.

Received in the mail this Tuesday morning

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

- Cincinnati, Opera : 2014 season program book ;
- Fort Worth, Opera : 2015 Festival brochure ;
- Hannover, Bühnen : July 2014 magazine ;
- Kansas City, Lyric Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Napoli, Teatro di San Carlo : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Seattle, Opera : 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 season brochures, August 2013 Ring brochure, 5 'encore arts programs' (Ring, La Fille du régiment, Rigoletto, The Consul, Les Contes d'Hoffmann) ;
- Vancouver, Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure.