Today : world première of 'The Thirteenth Child' by Poul Ruders in Santa Fe

Today, the Santa Fe Opera presents the world première of The Thirteenth Child, a fairytale opera in two acts composed by Poul Ruders with a libretto by Becky and David Starobin inspired by the Brothers Grimm.

It is the composer's fifth opera after Tycho (1986), The Handmaid's Tale (Copenhagen, March 6, 2000), Kafka's Trial (Copenhagen, March 12, 2005) and Selma Jezkova (Copenhagen, September 5, 2010).

Forget about magic beans and bowls of porridge — this fairy tale is a “down-to-the-wire” thriller, inspired by the Brothers Grimm. A paranoid king banishes his twelve sons in favor of Lyra, the thirteenth child. When Princess Lyra learns about her long-lost brothers, she embarks on a quest to find them. Like all the best fairy tales, it has an enchanted forest, riddles, a handsome prince, a horrible mistake, and a nearly impossible feat for Princess Lyra to perform if everything is to be put right. (reproduced from the Santa Fe Opera website)

The cast includes soprano Jessica E. Jones (Lyra), mezzo Tamara Mumford (Queen Gertrude), tenor Joshua Dennis (Frederic), bass baritone Bradley Garvin (Drokan) and bass David Leigh (King Hjarne). Paul Daniel conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Santa Fe Opera. Darko Tresnjak directs.

The performance should last 90 minutes. The venue is the Crosby Theatre.

The full and vocal scores, as well as a recording, are already available for sale. The publisher is Edition Wilhelm Hansen. Since last April, I have the full score in my collection. It is a 230 pages volume. It contains a characters list, a detailed synopsis and the following orchestra setting :

- 2 clarintes in Bb (1st doubling bass clarinet in Bb, 2nd doubling contrabass clarinet in Bb), 2 saxophones (1st soprano in Bb doubling alto in Eb, 2nd alto in Eb doubling baritone in Eb) ; 2 bassoons ;
- 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, tuba ;
- 2 percussion, harp, piano (digital or upright for small pits) ;
- 3 full range (7-octaves synthesizers), touch sensitive and with volume slide/knob ;
- strings : for large pits minimum 10-8-6-4-2, for small pits 2 of each.

The opera was composed in 2014-15 and the full score is copyrighted 2016.

Today : world première of 'König Drösselbart' by Andres Reukauf in Hagen

Today, the Theater Hagen presents the world première performance of König Drösselbart (King Thrushbeard), an children opera composed by Andres Reukauf, with a libretto by Petra Grube after the Brothers Grimm.

Andres Raukauf has already composed several operas for children : Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse (Hagen, 2012), Der Froschkönig (Hagen, 2013), Vom Fischer und seine Frau (2014), and Hänsel und Gretel (Hagen, 2015).

What should the perfect man look like for Philine ? She does not know exactly, but how he should NOT look, she knows all the better. And he should not even have a beard like a throttle. A "King Drosselbart" has no chance with her !
It doesn't matter to her, that everyone else thinks she is superficial, after all, she's a real princess - and she has to be nasty. Should anyone be judged only by the appearance ?
These and many more questions lead the princess into the adventure together with her loyal dog Karlo. (freely adapted from the opera theater website)

The cast includes Jan Schuba (König Ludwig / Händler), Carolina Walker (Philine, Ludwig's daughter), Tobias Rusnak (König Drosselbart), Daniel Heck (dog Karlo), and Kristina Günther-Vieweg (cat Charlie). Jan Friedrich Eggers directs.

Today : world première of Attila Kadri Şendil's 'The Town Musicians of Bremen' in Berlin

Today, the Komische Oper in Berlin presents the world première of The Town Musicians of Bremen, of children opera in two acts composed by Attila Kadri Şendil, with a libretto by Ulrich Lenz inspired by the Brothers Grimm's tale.

It is the composer's first opera.

A stubborn mule with a will of his own; a wild tearaway who isn’t in control of his own strength; gentleness personified, who wouldn’t hurt a soul; and a troublemaker who instantly voices every single emotion – these are the four companions whom fate brings together. Displaced, driven away, abandoned, abused and humiliated, they set out on their journey because »they can find a better place than this anywhere«. Bremen is the destination of their dreams. In the place where fairytales come true, they hope finally to find recognition, fame and fortune.  (reproduced from the Komische Oper website)

The cast includes bass Carsten Sabrowski (Donkey), tenor Adrian Strooper (Dog), mezzo Katarzyna Włodarczyk (Cat), soprano Andromahi Raptis (Cockerel), bass baritone Christian Tschelebiew (Ernst), and mezzo Christiane Oertel (Helga). Ivo Hentschel conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Komische Oper. Tobias Ribitzki directs.

Today : world première of 'Snow White' by Elena Kats-Chernin in Berlin

Today, the Komische Oper in Berlin presents the world première performance of a new children opera composed by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, Schneewittchen und die 77 Zwerge (Snow White and the 77 Dwarves), with a libretto by Susanne Felicitas Wolf, after the fairytale by the brothers Grimm.

The world famous fairy tale has been adapted into a witty and cheeky version :

Princess Snow White is sick of it: forever having to practise her calligraphy! She yearns for the big wide world, for adventure and a wealth of new experiences. Her vain stepmother, the queen who is practically obsessed by her own beauty, is not only completely lacking in empathy – even worse, she feels no tenderness whatsoever towards her stepdaughter. Luckily for Snow White, she has a trusty companion in the form of a slightly too-large rabbit named Richard III. Together, they manage to flee from the murderous queen... (reproduced from the Komische Oper website)

Elena Kats-Chernin has already composed several works for the lyrical stage, including The Rage of Life (Antwerpen, 2010), and a trilogy based on Monteverdi's operas (Odysseus, Orpheus and Poppea, Berlin, 2012).

The cast includes soprano Alma Sadé (Snow White), mezzo soprano Susanne Kreusch (Stepmother) and actor Dirk Johnston (Richard III). Pawel Poplaswki conducts and Christian von Götz directs. The performance should last about 2 hours.