Today : world première of B Tommy Andersson's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' in Vadstena

Today, the Vadstena Akademien presents the world première of B Tommy Andersson's The Importance of Being Earnest, with a libretto by William Relton based on the play by Oscar Wilde.

(c) Jan-Olav Wedin

It is the composer's second opera after William (Vadstena, 2006).

Two bachelors, John ‘Jack’ Worthing and Algernon ‘Algy’ Moncrieff, create alter egos named Ernest to escape their tiresome lives. They attempt to win the hearts of two women who, conveniently, claim to only love men called Ernest. The pair struggle to keep up with their own stories and become tangled in a tale of deception, disguise and misadventure. (reproduced from importanceofbeingearnest.co.uk)

The cast includes baritone Sebastian Duran (Jack Worthing), baritone Hannes Öberg (Algernon Moncrieff), tenor Nils Hübinette (Rev. Fredrick Chasuble), mezzo Ingrid Tobiasson (Lady Augusta Bracknell), mezzo Francine Vis (Gwendolen Fairfax) and soprano Vivianne Holmberg (Cecily Cardew). The composer conducts a chamber orchestra of soloists and the librettist directs.

The required orchestra is the following :

- 1 piccolo, 1 English horn, 1 bass clarinet, 1 double bassoon ;
- 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone ;
- harp, celesta and piano ;
- strings (1.1.2.1.1 or 8.6.6.5.3).

The performance should last about 110 minutes. Another opera with a libretto after the same play was already composed by Gerald Barry in 2011 and first performed the same year by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

July 17th : world première of Moto Osada's 'Son of Heaven' in Vadstena

Today, Moto Osada's new chamber opera, Son of Heaven, with a libretto in English by Kerstin Perski, will be performed in Vadstena, Sweden.

It is the composer's second opera after Four Nights of Dream (2008), also composed for the International Vadstena Academy.

The opera is in 3 acts and 17 scenes. The cast includes baritone Jakob Högström (The First Emperor), tenor Wiktor Sundqvist (Huhai), Countertenor Daniel Carlsson (Zhao Gao), baritone Richard Hamrin (Li Si), Mezzo Johanna Rudström (The Fool), and mezzo Karin Osbeck (The Warrior). David Björkman conducts and Nils Spangenberg directs.

The opera deals with the first Emperor of China, the creator of the Terracotta Army and the Great Wall of China. In the opera, he pursues eternal life in vain and is forced to simultaneously engage in a bitter power struggle with his sons. (reproduced from the Vadstena Academy website)

The orchestra is the following :

- flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, bass trombone ;
- percussion (2 musicians) ;
- keyboard, electric guitar ;
- string quintet : 2 violins, viola, violoncello, double bass.

The performance should last 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one pause. The opera will be broadcast live by Swedish Radio P2 on August 2nd.