2013 Winter/Spring Season FEB 2013 Duke Riley, Farewell, All Joys! More Fools than Wise, 2013 Published by: BAM 2013 Winter/Spring sponsor: New York City Opera presents Powder Her Face Music by Thomas Adès Libretto by Philip Hensher Conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer* Directed by Jay Scheib* BAM Howard Gilman Opera House Feb 15, 21 & 23 at 7:30pm Feb 17 at 1:30pm Approximate running time: two hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission Sets by Marsha Ginsberg* Costumes by Alba Clemente* Lighting by Thomas Dunn* Projections by Josh Higgason* Supertitles by Kelley Rourke Assistant scenic designers Tim McMath, Brett Banakis Assistant costume designer Sidney Shannon Musical preparation Susan Woodruff Versage, William Barto Jones English diction coach Lynn Baker Stage managers Anne Dechêne, Peggy Imbrie, Jenny Lazar Assistant directors Mike Phillips, Kate Downey Assistant to the director Laine Rettmer* * Denotes New York City Opera debut Powder Her Face is used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, US and Canadian Leadership support for agent for Faber Music Ltd., publisher and copyright owner. Powder Her Face is provided by The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Intimate Apparel for the Duchess was provided by La Perla. New York City Opera Allison Cook Nili Riemer William Ferguson Matt Boehler Kaneza Schaal Jon Morris Powder Her Face CAST Duchess Allison Cook* Maid Nili Riemer* Electrician William Ferguson Hotel Manager Matt Boehler* Waiter Jon Morris* Nurse Kaneza Schaal* Camera operator Chelsey Blackmon* Corps of Lovers Thomas Andy Allen Miles G. Jackson Christopher Augustine Robert Javinett John Joseph Ball Matthew Napoli Reginald Barnes Peter Daniel Oliver Kevin Bunge Thompson R. Patton Mark Couchot Shad Ramsey Darold Cuba Sean Shannon Ariel Estrada Kim Smith Adam Finchler Brennan Vickery Derrick Frenney Michael J. Walker Brandon James Gwinn Robert Wilde Francisco Huergo Andy Zou *denotes NYC Opera Debut Powder Her Face premiered in 1995, commissioned by Almeida Opera for the Cheltenham Festival. It made its New York premiere in a semi-staged production at the BAM Next Wave Festival in December 1998, performed by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, conducted by Robert Spano. Powder Her Face—SYNOPSIS ACT 1 Scene 1 — 1990 The Duchess surprises a Maid and an Electrician in the act of ridiculing her in a suite of a luxurious hotel. Owing to their negligence, Her Grace’s fur coat is soiled. As she changes, the maid and the electrician express admiration for Her Grace’s choice of perfume, and share varying opinions about Her Grace’s circumstances. Late on her rent, the hotel manager arrives to evict her. Scene 2 — 1934 The Duke is expected at a large country house. Fresh from her divorce, former “Debutante of the Year,” Ms. Freeling, anticipates her first meeting with the Duke. The Duke’s promiscuity and wealth are discussed by the Duchess’ confidante and a Lounge Lizard. Finally, the Duke arrives. Scene 3 — 1936 Fashionable interest in Ms. Freeling’s wedding to His Grace is in no way affected by her status as a fa- mous divorcée and a magnificent reception is thrown. Behind the scenes, the Maid prepares elaborate dishes and accepts the advances of the Duke as the Duchess looks on. Scene 4 — 1953 Bored out of her mind, Her Grace relaxes in her room and telephones room service. She gives the Waiter a friendly welcome which has earned her such popularity among the staff. Memories of many, many affairs crowd the room. Scene 5 — 1953 Meanwhile, His Grace is just pulling on his trousers after entertaining a friend who also happens to be the Duchess’ maid. Photos of Her Grace’s infidelities are revealed. —INTERMISSION— ACT 2 Scene 6 — 1955 As the historic divorce trial nears its close and the Judge’s concluding remarks are awaited, Reporters and Rubbernecks anxiously discuss the impending scandal. The Judge condemns Her Grace and she seizes the opportunity to speak. Scene 7 — 1970 Years later. Her Grace grants a rare interview in her lovely hotel room. She offers insights from her experience. Annoyed with the superficial nature of the interview, she provides provocatively sarcastic tips on health and entertaining. In skewering English society and prejudices generally Her Grace announces the end of beauty. As the scene ends, the overdue bill for her rent arrives. Scene 8 — 1990 Her Grace receives a visit from the Hotel Manager. He is evicting her from her room and home for over a decade. He has made arrangements for her to be moved to a nursing home. Lost in her memories the Duchess reflects on her life. She vacates the suite, and it is made ready for the next occupant. Who’s Who THOMAS ADÈS (composer) was born in London pianist. He has recorded composers including in 1971 and studied piano, composition, and Kurtág, Janácek, Nancarrow, Stanchinsky, percussion at the Guildhall School of Music Grieg, Busoni, Stravinsky, Schubert, Ruders, & Drama, and read music at King’s College, and Berlioz, and premiered and widely per- Cambridge. In 1993 he made his recital debut formed several works by Gerald Barry. Orchestras as pianist and composer at the Park Lane Group he has conducted include City of Birmingham in London. Between 1993 and 1995 he was Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, composer in association with the Hallé Orches- Boston Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, tra, resulting in These Premises Are Alarmed for Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the opening of the Bridgewater Hall in 1996. Orchestre National de France, London Symphony Asyla (1997) was a Feeney Trust commission Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Hallé for Sir Simon Rattle and the CBSO, who toured Orchestra, BBC, Finnish, Dutch, Danish and it and repeated it at Symphony Hall in August North German Radio Symphony Orchestras, 1998, in Rattle’s last concert as music director. Melbourne Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Rattle subsequently programmed Asyla in his ensembles such as Birmingham Contemporary opening concert as music director of the Berlin Music Group, London Sinfonietta, Ensemble Philharmonic Orchestra in September 2002. Modern, and the Athelas Ensemble, Copenhagen. Powder Her Face, commissioned by Almeida Op- Adès’ music has attracted numerous awards and era for the Cheltenham Festival in 1995, Adès’ prizes, including the Grawemeyer Award (2000), first opera, was televised by Channel Four, and of which he is the youngest-ever recipient. He is available on a DVD and an EMI CD. Most of is the only composer to have won the Royal the composer’s music to date has been recorded Philharmonic Prize for Large-Scale Composition by EMI. Adès’ second opera, The Tempest, was three times. commissioned by London’s Royal Opera House and was premiered there in February 2004 and PHILIP HENSHER (librettist) was born in Lon- revived in 2007. A new production by Robert don in 1965 and educated at Oxford University. Lepage was presented at the Metropolitan Opera He is the author of eight novels and a collection in New York in 2012 and broadcast worldwide. of short stories. He has won numerous prizes, In September 2005 a Violin Concerto for including the Somerset Maugham Award and the Anthony Marwood premiered at the Berliner Stonewall Journalist of the Year. His 2008 novel, Festspiele and the BBC Proms, with the Chamber The Northern Clemency, was shortlisted for the Orchestra of Europe under his baton. His second Man Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Prize. orchestral work for Simon Rattle, Tevot (2007), A regular presence in the British media, Hensher was commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic writes a column for The Independent and con- and Carnegie Hall. In 2008 Adès collaborated tributes to The Spectator and Mail on Sunday. with video artist Tal Rosner on a commission Hensher’s first novel, Other Lulus (1994), is set from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and London’s in Vienna and centers on a young girl’s discovery Southbank Centre for a piano concerto with of a family connection with Alban Berg. His six moving image, In Seven Days, which was given years spent working at the House of Commons its world premiere in April 2008 by Nicolas in London provided the backdrop to his second Hodges, the London Sinfonietta, and Adès at the novel, Kitchen Venom, published in 1996. Royal Festival Hall, London. Among the festivals Hensher’s short story “Dead Languages” is in at which he has been the featured composer are The Oxford Book of English Short Stories (1998). Helsinki Musica Nova (1999); Salzburg Easter The Bedroom of the Mister’s Wife (1999) is his Festival (2004); Radio France’s Présences, Paris collection of short stories, many of which had (2007); the Barbican’s Traced Overhead, London previously been radiocast or published in news- (2007); New Horizons Festival, St. Petersburg, papers and magazines including Granta, The Russia (2007); Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Independent, and The Erotic Review. His most Festival (2009); and Melbourne Festival (2010). recent novel is Scenes from Early Life (2012). In addition Carnegie Hall appointed him to the R and B Debs Composer Chair and featured him Jonathan STOCKHAMMER (conductor) as composer, conductor and pianist throughout has been lauded for his exuberance and innova- the 2007—08 season. Adès is also a renowned tion on the modern classical music scene. He is interpreter of a range of music as conductor and a regular guest with orchestras throughout the world such as the Oslo Philharmonic, Orchestre Who’s Who Philharmonique de Radio France, Tokyo Metro- will shape the next 25 years of American theater. politan, Bamberg Symphony, and Los Angeles A recipient of the Edgerton Award, the Richard Philharmonic, as well as the radio orchestras of Sherwood Award, and a participant in the NEA/ Stuttgart (RSO), Cologne (WDR), and Hamburg TCG Program for Directors, Scheib is a frequent (NDR).