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.

Today : world première of Jake Heggie's 'Great Scott' in Dallas

Today, Jake Heggie's new opera, Great Scott, with a libretto by Terrence McNally will be performed for the first time at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.

It is Heggie's 12th work for the stage, since Dead Man Walking (2000). The most famous include The End of the Affair (2005), Three Decembers (2008) and Out of Darkness (2013).

International opera star Arden Scott has returned to her hometown to save American Opera, the company that launched her career, but the opening night performance of the long-lost opera she discovered (Rosa Dolorosa, Figlia di Pompei) falls on the same night as the home football team’s first national championship (Go Grizzlies!). The fate of the company hangs in the balance as Arden is forced to consider the sacrifices she has made and discovers that true greatness is a matter of heart. (reproduced from the composer's website)

The orchestra consists of :

- 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons ;
- 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone
- 2 percussion
- timpani, piano, harp ;
- strings.

The cast includes mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato (Joyce DiDanoto), soprano Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), mezzo soprano Frederica von Stade (Winnie Flato), baritone Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo (Roane Heckle), bass Kevin Burdette (Eric Gold / Ghost of Vittorio Bazzetti). Patrick Summers conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Dallas Opera. Jack O'Brien directs.

New program books in my collection : 'Notorious' by Hans Gefors (Göteborg) and 'Penthesilea' by Pascal Dusapin (Strasbourg)

This Wednesday morning, I have received two program books in the mail :

- Pascal Dusapin : Penthesilea, (first performed in Brussels), from Strasbourg (first performance on September 26th ;
- Hans Gefors : Notorious, first performance in Göteborg, September 19th, 2015.

I have already described the program book for the world première performance of Penthesilea in Brussels. The 100 pages French program book contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- introduction on the opera in the carrier of Pascal Dusapin ;
- Beate Haeckl : synopsis, trilingual (French, German, English) ;
- an article by the composer, reproduced from the Belgian book ;
- an interview with the conductor Franck Ollu ;
- the orchestra setting ;
- interview with the director Pierre Audi ;
- Antonin Artaud : Le Théâtre et la Cruauté, from Le Théâtre et son double (1938) ;
- Marie Faucher : Pascal Dusapin : l'invention musicale à fleur de peau ;
- Ruth Orthman : J'ai dit un mot à la place de l'autre (Aux origines du livret) ;
- Meroe's monologue from the play by Heinrich von Kleist ;
- Marie Lenormand : Sanglante fête des roses ;
- excerpt from The Bacchae by Euripides ;
- Murat Alat : Les vertus d'une existence en vitrine ;
- an excerpt of Oscar Wilde's Salome ;
- complete libretto in German and French ;
- biographies of the artists, with B&W headshots ;
- several colour photos from the original production.

The 144 pages program book for Notorious is in Swedish. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- introduction and synopsis (with English translations) ;
- Hans Gefors : The Genesis of the opera (with English translation) ;
- biographies of composer Hans Gefors and librettist Kerstin Perski ;
- Kerstin Perski : The Notorious libretto (with English translation) ;
- an article by the conductor Patrik Ringborg ;
- biographies of cast and crew with B&W headshots ;
- an article by Paul Duncan on the Hitchcock movie ;
- an interview with Hans Gefors ;
- complete and detailed chronology from the commission of the opera early 2009 to the world première in 2015 ;
- complete libretto in Swedish with English translation ;
- several colour photos from the original production.

Scanned covers of all the program books I have (almost 400) in my collection are available in this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Pyramus and Thisbe' by Barbara Monk Feldman in Toronto

Today, the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto presents the world première performance of Pyramus and Thisbe, composed by Barbara Monk Feldman, with a libretto based on Ovid's Metamorphosis and also including William Faulkner's The Long Summer, Dark Night of the Soul by St John of the Cross and Rainer Maria Rilke's Die Sonette an Orpheus.

The libretto is a new version of the well-known story of Pyramus and Thisbe. The synopsis is the following, according to the score available from the Canadian Music Centre website (facsimile of the manuscript) :

The opera does not follow the traditional arrow of time and there is no break between the three main sections. There is little or no drama : this opera is about the subtlety of the unconscious which substitutes for the wall in Ovid's original, uniting as it separates the two lovers.

The opera should last about 45 minutes and is the evening will continue with performances of Monteverdi's Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and Lamento d'Arianna.

The orchestra is the following :

- 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarintes, 2 Bassoons, 2 French Horns ;
- 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Tuba ;
- 3 Percussionists ;
- Harp, Mandolin ;
- Chorus, String Quartet, and String Orchestra.

Mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó and Tenor Phillip Addis are accompanied by the COC Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Johannes Debus, with Christopher Alden directing.

New in my collection : Philippe Hurel, 'Les Pigeons d'argile' (DVD)

I have recently acquired the DVD recording of Philippe Hurel's opera Les Pigeons d'argile, first performed in Toulouse in April 2014.

It has been released by éOle Records. This recording has the invaluable advantage of having silent and stationary titles. The complete duration is 1:37:03, including 90 seconds of opening credits and 4:50 of closing 'credits' : chorus, soloists, conductor, director, composer appearing and bowing on stage one after the other, before the real credits begin, with the names of all people involved in the production. There is no interval. The opera is sung in French, with only French subtitles available.

The DVD also contains about 34 minutes of interview with the artistic director of the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, the composer, the librettist, the director, the set and costume designer, the two singers performing the main characters.

The 36 pages brochure contains :

- complete cast ;
- short introduction on the opera ;
- the synopsis of the opera, in French, English, German and Spanish ;
- an article by Franck Langlois, based on an interview with the composer ;
- an article by the librettist Tanguy Viel ;
- an interview by Robert Penavayre with the conductor Tito Ceccherini ;
- an interview by Jean-Jacques Groleau with stage director Mariame Clément ;
- biographies of all the artists.

The brochure is entirely in French, with the exception of the quadrilingual synopsis. Unfortunately it doesn't include a track listing. The articles printed in the brochure are almost entirely distinct from the interviews available on the DVD.
Shortly after the first performance, I had received the program book published by the Théâtre du Capitole.

Today : world première of 'The Wanderings of Odysseus' by Ole Hübner in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin presents the world première performance of Die Irrfahrten des Odysseus by Ole Hübner. The opera will be performed at the Tischlerei.

The work is presented as a 'musical theatre for persons aged 10 and over'. The libretto is based on Homer's Odyssey.

The story centres not on gods or mythical creatures but on a single man with the inner conflict that is part of the human condition. Odysseus is a hero and villain, a family man and power politician, incorrigibly inquisitive and inventive, simultaneously a plaything of the gods and a rebel against them. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper website)

Johannes Hendrik Langer is the vocal performer, with actors Tom Quaas, Jakob Kraze and Johannes Hendrik Langer. They are joined by an instrumental sextet consisting of double bass, percussions, guitar, piano and saxophone, with the composer at the live electronics. Harriet Maria Meining and Peter Meining conceived the stage direction and designed the sets.

Today : world première of 'O Columbia' by Gregory Spears in Houston

Today, O Columbia, the new chamber opera composed by Gregory Spears will receive its first performance in Houston, at the Revention Music Center.

The libretto by Royce Vavrek has been inspired by interviews by Houston-based NASA astronauts, scientists and engineers.

O Columbia traces a history of dreamers and explorers–from Sir Walter Raleigh journeying to the New World, to a Houston teenager experiencing communion, and later, heartbreak, with a Columbia space shuttle astronaut, to future astronauts venturing to the far reaches of the solar system-in an ode to America's pioneering spirit. (reproduced from Houston Grand Opera website).

The cast consists of artists from the Houston Grand Opera Studio (young artist program) : soprano Pureum Jo (Becca), baritone Ben Edquist (Raleigh / Astronaut) and mezzo-soprano Megan Samarin (Lady Columbia). Timothy Myers conducts and Kevin Newbury directs.

The opera should last about 70 minutes.

His next opera, Fellow Travelers, is scheduled for performance in Cincinnati in June 2016. The composer is already working on another vocal project, Jason and the Argonauts, an opera for young people, commissioned by the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Today : world première of Michael Wertmüller's 'Weine nicht, singe' in Hamburg

Today, the Staatsoper Hamburg presents on its second stage (Opera stabile) the world première performance of Weine nicht, singe, by composer Michael Wertmüller, with a libretto by Dea Loher.

The Levant. Mira, a fourteen-year-old girl, grandfather Zeno, mother Altai and father Ron are welcoming Aki, who left fifteen years ago. He wants to pay back the money he borrowed, trying to open an auto repair shop with his brothers in the South. But the borders were shut down. Now the former neighbor speaks a different language and believes in another God. and Mira shouts her hatred to him, because he has left his aunt Oona behind. But splinters in Zeno's brain hurts him : 'Mira has to make peace with her father' (free translation after the Staatsoper's website).

The cast includes actor Josef Ostendorf (Zeno), baritone Holger Falk (Aki), tenor Jürgen Sacher (Ron), soprano Ruth Rosenfeld (Altai), and actress Tina Keserovic (Mira). They are joined by the Ensemble Resonanz and the Steamboat Switzerland trio. Titus Engel conducts and Jette Steckel directs.

The opera should last about two hours.

Today : world première of 'Notorious' by Hans Gefors in Göteborg

Today, the new opera composed by Hans Gefors, Notorious, with a libretto in Swedish by Kerstin Perski after Alfred Hitchcock's movie, will be performed in Göteborg.

Previous opera by Hans Gefors include Christina (1986), Der Park (1991), Clara (1998) and Skuggspel (2004).

During World War II, the CIA agent Devlin persuades the American Alicia, daughter of a notorious Nazi, to become a spy in Rio de Janeiro. They grow attracted to each other, but the mission compels Alicia to seduce a man on the enemy side. Blinded by jealousy, Devlin is forced to watch Alicia give herself to another man. (reproduced from the Göteborg Opera website)

The cast includes soprano Nina Stemme (Alicia Hauser), baritone John Lundgren (Devlin), tenor Michael Weinius (Alex Sebastian), mezzo-soprano Katarina Karnéus (Madame Sebastian), tenor Jón Ketilsson (Prescott), bass Anders Lorentzson (Alicia's Father), and tenor Jonas Olofsson (Emil Hupka). Patrik Ringborg conducts the Chorus and Orchestral of the Göteborg Opera. Keith Warner directs.

The orchestral setting is the following :

- 3 flutes (3rd also piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 1 baritone saxophone ;
- 4 French horns, 3 trumpets (1st also piccola trumpet), 2 trombones, 1 bass trombone, 1 cimbasso ;
- 4 percussionists ;
- harp, electric guitar ;
- strings.

The opera should last about 150 minutes. The first performance will be broadcast live by Swedish Radio SR P2. Two further performance will be recorded by the Swedish Television. Let's hope a DVD will be published.

New in my collection : from the Santa Fe Opera Festival

I have recently acquired several items from the Santa Fe Opera Festival :

- Desirée Mays : Opera Unveiled 2009 (76 pages) , with an article on The Letter, new opera composed by Paul Moravec ;
- Desirée Mays : Opera Unveiled 2013 (80 pages) , with an article on Oscar, new opera composed by Theodore Morrison ;
- Desirée Mays : Opera Unveiled 2014 (80 pages), with an article on Dr. Sun Yat-sen, new opera composed by Huang Ruo ;
- Desirée Mays : Opera Unveiled 2015 (80 pages), with an article on Cold Mountain, new opera composed by Jennifer Higdon ;

- Gene Scheer : Cold Mountain, libretto for the opera composed by Jennifer Higdon (78 pages) ;
- programme book for the 2015 season at the Santa Fe Opera (168 pages)

It contains only 8 pages entirely dedicated to this opera with :

- complete cast and crew (with B&W headshots) ;
- synopsis ;
- Ascending Cold Mountain, by librettist Gene Scheer ;
- A Note from the Director, by Leonard Foglia.

Today : world première of 'Giordano Bruno' by Francesco Filidei in Porto

Today, Giordano Bruno, the new opera composed by Francesco Filidei, with a libretto by Stefano Busellato, will be performed in Porto, at the Casa da Musica.

 
The libretto (in 12 scenes) is based on the life of the 16th century Italian philosopher who claimed the sun was the center of the universe. He ultimately was burned at the stake.

The action is divided between the chronology of Giordano Bruno's trial and scenes directly inspired by his philosophy. Each scene is composed around one note. From the first scene centered on F sharp, each scene related to the trial is half a tone lower, and each scene related to his philosophy is half a tone higher, starting with G. (reproduced from the website dedicated to the work)

The opera should last about 90 minutes. After rehearsals in Gennevilliers near Paris (the opera is a commission of the French group T&M), the opera will receive its first performance in Porto, with baritone Lionel Peintre (Giordano Bruno), tenor Jeff Martin (1st Inquisitor), bass Ivan Ludlow (2nd Inquisitor) and countertenor Guilhem Terrail (Pope Clemente VIII). The Remix Ensemble and a 12 voices chorus are conducted by Peter Rundel, with Antoine Gindt directing.

The same production will then be performed in Strasbourg (Musica Festival, September 19th and 20th), Reggio Emilia (Teatro Valli, September 26th), Milan (Piccolo Teatro Strehler, November 7th). The tour will end in April 2016 with four performances in Gennevilliers (from 14th to 21st) and in Caen on 26th.

New in my collection : programme for 'Macbeth' by Luke Styles in Glyndebourne

On Thursday, I have received in the mail the programme publishd by the Glyndebourne Festival for the world première performance of Macbeth, the new opera by Luke Styles, with a libretto adapted from William Shakespeare by Ted Huffman.

It is a 12 pages brochure. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Composer's Note, by Luke Styles ;
- Macbeth : A new opera, by director Ted Huffman ;
- biographies of the singers and crew members.

This flickr folder contains scans of the covers of all programme books for contemporary operas I have.