Today : world première of Jörn Arnecke's Welcome to Paradise Lost in Weimar

 

Today, the Nationaltheater Weimar presents the world première of Welcome to Paradise Lost, a new opera composed by Jörn Arnecke with a libretto by Falk Richter after Farid ud-Din Attar's The Conference of the Birds.

It is the composer's 14th work for the stage. His previous operas include Das Fest im Meer (Hamburg, 17 June 2003) Kryos (Bremen, 14 May 2011) Ronja Räubertochter (Duisburg, 26 February 2015) and The Frost Flower Forest (Weimar, 21 May 2019).

The humans are visited by a flock of birds that denounce our political, cultural, socio-economic and ecological transgressions. The birds urge humans both to journey toward themselves and to reach a global agreement to finally change the devastating conditions. The libretto takes on the explosive sociopolitical issues of turbo-capitalism, climate change and the destruction of nature : What are we willing to give up ? What are we losing ?
It focuses on the confrontation between the current supporters and profiteers of the self-destructive system and the youthful protest movements that radically question their way of life. The spectators become involved in a kind of passion play and make their own pilgrimage through the various rooms of the e-werk Weimar. (reproduced from the Kunstfest Weimar website)

The cast includes soprano Ylva Sofia Stenberg (Knabe), contralto Noa Frenkel (Ältere Frau), soprano Heike Porstein (Frau 1) contralto Sarah Mehnert (Frau 2), tenor Alexander Günther (Mann 1) and baritone Alik Abdukayumov (Mann 2). Andreas Wolf conducts the Musiktheaterensemble and a choir of fifteen young people. Andrea Moses directs.

The performance should last about 90 minutes. The venue is e-werk Weimar.

New programme book in my collection : Copeland's 'Electric Saint' in Weimar

Yesterday, I have received the programme book published by the Deutsches Nationaltheater in Weimar for the world première of Stewart Copeland's Electric Saint.

 

It is a 4 pages brochure. It contains :

- synopsis ;

- biographies of composer Stewart Copeland and librettist Jonathan Moore ;

- complete cast and crew.

Attached was a special issue of Die deutsche Bühne, 24 pages entirely dedicated to this new opera.

I have catalogued all my 2185 programme books on LibraryThing.

Today : world première of Stewart Copeland's opera 'Electric Saint' in Weimar

 

 Today, the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar presents the world première of Electric Saint, an opera composed by Stewart Copeland with a libretto by Jonathan Moore.

It is the composer's fourth opera after Tell Tale Heart (London, April 8th, 2011), The Invention of Morel (Chicago, February 18th, 2017) and Satan's Fall (Pittsburgh, February 7th, 2020).

The opera highlights the rivalry between him and his fellow inventor and competitor Thomas Edison, both pioneers of electrical engineering with diametrically opposed life philosophies. These two central figures were like the Bill Gates or Steve Jobs of our times — the one, a radical genius with an eye for details, and the other, a brilliant inventor, clever businessman and self-marketer. Tesla wanted to make his electrical inventions available to everyone for the benefit of humanity, while Edison was more interested in accumulating wealth. (reproduced from the Deutsches Nationaltheater website)

The cast includes baritone Richard Morrison (Tesla), tenor Jasper Sung (Robert), soprano Emma Moore (Katharine), baritone Oleksandr Pushniak (JP Morgan), baritone Uwe Schenker-Primus (Edison) and tenor Alexander Günther (Westinghouse). Gregor Bühl conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsches Nationaltheater. Jonathan Moore directs.

Today : world première of 'The Frost Flower Forest' by Jörn Arnecke in Weimar

Today, the Deutsches National Theater in Weimar presents the world première of Der Eisblumenwald (The Frost Flower Forest), a children opera composed by Jörn Arnecke, with a libretto by the composer after Jörg Steiner's book.

Jörn Arnecke has already composed several works for the stage, including Das Fest im Meer (Hamburg, June 17, 2003), Kryos (Bremen, May 14, 2011), Ronja Räubertochter (Duisburg, February 27, 2015)

Princess Salicha is sad because all the plants in the desert have withered. But then a boy named Samir suggests bringing an iceberg into the desert to make the land fertile again. The two of them board a ship to the South Pole, and the exciting journey begins. It is a magical story of friendship, of the death of nature in the context of climate change, and of the courage to actively seek solutions to help the environment - as crazy as they may be. (reproduced from the DNT website)

The cast includes actor Julius Kuhn (Märchenerzähler), soprano Giulia Montanari (Salicha), mezzo Julian Bookhagen (Samir) and bass Andreas Koch (König von Amun). Niuniu Miao Liu conducts members of the Staatskapelle Weimar. Clara Kalus directs.

The opera is published by Sikorski.

The performance should last about 65 minutes. The venue is the Studiobühne.

Three new programme books in my collection

I have recently acquired the following programme books for contemporary operas :

- David T. Little, JFK, Augsburg, March 24, 2019 (European première) :
- Richard van Schoor, Alp Arslan, Giessen, May 4, 2019 (world première) ;
- Ludger Vollmer, The Circle, Weimar, May 4, 2019 (world première).

 The first one is a 28 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- introduction by David T. Little and Royce Vavrek ;
- synopsis ;
- Sophie Walz : Inzenierter Mythos ;
- several color photos of the production by Jan-Pieter Fuhr (March 18) ;
-  Familie & Politik ;
- biographies of authors and production team with black and white headshots.

The second one is a 24 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Zum Inhalt (synopsis) ;
- Willem Bruls : Zur Entstehung einer Oper - Vom historischen Hintergrund zur Idee, with biography of librettist Willem Bruls ;
- Richard van Schoor : Eine Komposition entsteht - Vom Text zur Musik, with biography of composer Richard van Schoor ;
- Amin Maalouf : Historische Schlaglichter ;
- Die historischen Figuren ;
- Der Granatapfel, Powerfrucht aus dem Orient ;
- biographies of singers, with black and white headshots ;
- color photos of rehearsals by Rolf K. Wegst.

The third one is a 52 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- synopsis ;
- Hans-Georg Wegner : Die Macht, die sie haben, ist die Macht, die wir Ihnen geben, interview with Dave Eggers, author of the original novel ;
- Ludger Vollmer : Ausbeutung durch Verführung ;
- Tiina Hartmann : Literatur.Oper ;
- Hans-Georg Wegner : Mercer muss nicht sterben ;
- Kate Knibbs : 'The Circle' ist eine krude Warnung ;
- color photos of rehearsals by Candy Welz.

The three programmes are entirely in German.

I now have 678 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'The Circle' by Ludger Vollmer in Weimar

Today, the National Theater Weimar presents the world première of The Circle, an opera composed by Ludger Vollmer, with a libretto by Tina Hartmann based on the novel by Dave Eggers.

It is the composer's 8th opera after Gegen die Wand (Bremen, November 28, 2008), Lola rennt (Regensburg, February 28, 2013), Crusades (Freiburg, January 21, 2017) and Tschick (Hagen, March 18, 2017).

A young woman named Mae is climbing the career ladder at the company 'The Circle'. She devotes herself wholeheartedly and with great moral cognizance to the new possibilities and the power these give her over other people. But not only does this entail destroying the notion of the 'individual', but also the relationship to one's friends and acquaintances in favour of a community which regulates itself through total transparency. The question is, who profits from this totality ? (reproduced from the Theater website)

The cast includes mezzo Sayaka Shigeshima (Mae), soprano Heike Porstein (Annie), baritone Oleksandr Pushniak (Mercer), tenor Jörn Eichler (Francis), bass Daeyoung Kim (Earnon Bailey) and bass baritone Sebastian Kowski (Tom Stenton). Kirill Karabits conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsches National Theater. Andrea Moses directs.

The work is published by Schott Music. The required orchestra is the following :

- 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 2 bassoons ;
- 2 horns, 2 trombones, 2 trumpets, 1 bass tuba ;
- percussion (3 players), including glockenspiel, xylophone and vibraphone ;
- piano (doubling organ and harpsichord), guitar ;
- strings.

The performance should last about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Today : world première of 'November 1918' by Stefan Lano in Weimar

Today, the Deutsches Nationaltheater in Weimar presents the world première of November 1918, an opera composed by Stefan Lano, with a libretto by André Bücker and Beate Seidel based on Alfred Döblin's novel.

It is the composer's first opera.

The soldier Friedrich Becker returns home to Berlin broken and traumatised from World War I. Nonetheless, he is determined to find a new purpose in life. But he hardly recognises Berlin anymore, its foundation shaken by revolution. His hope for »sweet peace« seems to vanish in the face of everyday life. He observes the political bickering between left- and right-wing factions, the radicalisation of the Spartakists, the conservative and military elite biding their time until they can seize power again, the shameless actions of the Allied victors.
But Becker refuses to give up. He becomes a school teacher and gives classes in his beloved subject German. During his lessons, he tries to teach his students humanistic values. However, he bitterly discovers the futility of this project in a country humiliated in defeat and whose nationalistic pride would culminate in a fascist dictatorship only ten years later. (reproduced from the DNT website)

The cast includes actor Max Landgrebe (Friedrich Becker), actress Johanna Geißler (Rosa Luxemburg) and soprano Heike Porstein (Engel). Stefan Lano conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar. André Bücker directs.

Today : world première of 'Die Schneekönigin' von Georg Alexander Albrecht in Weimar

Today, Georg Alexander Albrecht's first opera, Die Schneekönigin (The Snow Queen), will be performed in Weimar, by the Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle.

The libretto by Peter Truschner is based on Hans-Christian Andersen's fairy tale.

Kay and Gerda are best friends. Together they listen to the stories Gerda’s grandmother tells them and play in the snow when winter arrives. But when a kobold strikes Kay in the eye and heart with two shards of a magic mirror, everything suddenly changes. Kay becomes belligerent and egotistical and wants to leave home. The Snow Queen appears and lures him into her kingdom of ice where the cold conquers all and he forgets everything in his past. Gerda wants to help him and embarks on a daring journey. In a forest, she encounters animals who can talk and is taken prisoner by bandits and barely escapes, driven onward by the hope of finding Kay deep in the north… (reproduced from the DNT website).

The orchestra is the following :

- Flute, Oboe, 2 Clarinets, Bassoon ;
- 2 Horns, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba ;
- Timpani, 2 Percusions, Harp ;
- Strings

The cast includes coloratura soprano Lini Gong (Schneekönigin), soprano Steffi Lehmann (Gerda), mezzos Eleonora Vacchi (Kay) and Sayaka Shigeshima (Ronja), alto Rebecca Teem (Grandmother), baritone Alik Abdukayumov (Reindeer) and bass Daeyoung Kim (Raven). The composer conducts. Maximilian von Mayenburg directs. The performance should last about 90 minutes.

Recently received in the mail

I have recently received the following items in the mail :

- Frankfurt, Alte Oper : October 2014 leaflet ;
- Giessen, Stadttheater : October 2014 leaflet
- Linz, Landestheater : September and October 2014 leaflets ;
- Ludwigshafen, Theater im Pfalzbau : Festspiele Ludwigshafen leaflet ;
- Magdeburg, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Montpellier, Opéra Orchestre National : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Trier, Theater : September and October 2014 leaflets ;
- Weimar, Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle : October 2014 leaflet ;
- Wien, Volksoper : October 2014 leaflet.

Received in the mail this Friday morning

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

- Augsburg, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book (with the brochure of the Augsburger Philharmoniker, and the 2014 July August leaflet) ;
- Bielefeld, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book (and another book for season of the Bielefelder Philharmoniker) ;
- Hof, Theater : 2014 July leaflet ;
- Tallinn, Estonian National Opera : 2014-2015 season calendar ;
- Weimar, Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle : 2014 August September leaflet.

Received in the mail this Friday morning

This Friday morning, I have received the following :

- Copenhagen, Det Kongelige Teater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- London, English National Opera : Autumn 2014 - Spring 2015 brochure ;
- San Francisco, Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Trier, Theater : 2014-2015 season program book ;
- Weimar, Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle : 2014-2015 season program books ;
- Wiesbaden, Hessisches Staatstheater : 2014-2015 season program book.

Received in the mail this Saturday morning

Today, I have received the following in the mail :

- Weimar, Deutsches Nationaltheater : June-July 2014 leaflet ;
- Krefeld Mönchengladbach, Theater : June-July 2014 leaflet ;
- Fürth, Stadttheater : 2014-2015 season program book.

Received this Friday morning

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

- Amsterdam, Het Conertgebouw : Agenda and magazine for May-June 2014 ;
- Weimar, Deutsches Nationaltheater : Agenda from August 2014 to January 2015 and program for the Kunstfest Weimar 2014.