Contemporary Opera Newsletter

Leporello

Nr. 12 September 2012

World Première Performances

In September 2012, four new operas will be performed, in Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany. Geneva will celebrate Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s tercentenary with Philippe Fénelon’s seventh opera. Stefano Gervasoni will present his first opera in Strasbourg. Tristan Schulze’s second opera with the title Premiere will be performed in Vienna and a new version of the Lulu story, with music by Olga Neuwirth, partially adapted from the Alban Berg score will be presented in Berlin.

Philippe Fénelon : JJR (Citoyen de Stefano Gervasoni : Limbus Limbo Genève) Apéro bouffe en sept scènes Opera in 1 act Libretto : Patrick Hahn, after Giordano Bruno, Carl von Libretto : Ian Burton, en French Linné and Marilyn Monroe Geneva, Bâtiment des Forces Motrices (BFM) Strasbourg, Théâtre National (Festival Musica) September 11, 2012 September 22, 2012 Duration : 105 minutes (no intermission) Duration : 90 minutes

with soprano Juliet Fraser, countertenor Christopher with Teddy Faure-Gilly, Edwin Crossley-Mercer, Field, and baritone Gareth John. Rodolphe Briand, Isabelle Henriquez, Nora Gubisch. Les Percussions de Strasbourg Jean Deroyer conducts and Robert Carsen directs. Conducted by Jean-Paul Bernard and directed by Ingrid von Wantoch Rekowski. The opera explores three periods of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s life, when he was 12, 21 and 66 years old. In the equivocal space where time flies forever called He interacts with illustrious men of his time (Sade, limbo, Carl and Bruno attend to their own business, Voltaire, Diderot), the cultural icons (Robinson when Tina’s arrival perturb them, until the final Crusoe), his own philosophical and artistic creations, catastrophe that will send them to hell. and the women of his life.

more on p. 2

DVD

Joan Guinjoan : Gaudi , Columna Musica, 1CM0211 with Robert Bork, Vicente Ombuena, Elisabete Matos, Francisco Vas First performed in Barcelona on November 3, 2004. The opera shows the evolution in the architect's process of creation, without being a reconstruction of anecdotes about his life. Recorded in Barcelona in November 2004. Conducted by Josep Pons. Directed by Manuel Huerga. more on p. 2

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World Première Performances

Tristan Schulze : Premiere Olga Neuwirth : American Lulu

Opera Opera in 3 acts Libretto : Rainer Vierlinger and Anton Maria Aigner Libretto : Olga Neuwirth, in English Wien, Theater an der Wien Berlin, Komische Oper September 26, 2012 September 30, 2012 Duration : 65 minutes Duration : full evening

with Marisol Montalvo, Della Miles, Jacques-Greg with Ildiko Raimondi, Erik Årman, Markus Butter, Anna Belobo, Claudio Otelli, Rold Romei, Dmitry Golovnin. Magdalena Auzinger, Ingala Fortagne, Alice Rath. Johannes Kalitzke conducts ; Kirill Serebrennikov The composer conducts and Rainer Vierlinger directs. directs.

This chamber opera is about the irony, the rituals and Berg’s music for the first two acts is orchestrated for clichés of the microcosm of opera, never forgetting that jazz ensemble, as a flashback to 1950s New Orleans. all the passions, fears and occasional disasters are The third act takes place in 1970s New York. Lulu has quite vital for those people who value the opera world. become a high-class prostitute with contacts to famous business people and politicians, and to whom matters both private and public are entrusted without question.

In my collection

Below are listed parts of my collection. There will be more in the next issues.

1) DVD :

Michael Tippett : King Priam , ArtHaus Musik, 102 087. with Rodney Macann, Sarah Walker, Howard Haskin, Anne Mason, Janet Price. First performed in Coventry on May 29, 1962. King Priam takes a private view of the events of the Trojan War, focusing on individual moments of moral choice. Recorded for TV in London in 1985. Conducted by Roger Norrington.

Mark-Anthony Turnage : Greek , ArtHaus Musik, 102 105. with Helen Charnock, Fiona Kimm, Quentin Hayes, Richard Suart. First performed in Munich on June 17, 1988, it is a re-telling of Sophocle’s tragedy Œdipus the King , set in the East End of London in the 1980s. Recorded for TV in Liverpool in 1990. Conducted by Richard Bernas.

Bernd Alois Zimmermann : Die Soldaten , ArtHaus, 100 270 with Nancy Shade, Mark Munkittrick, Michael Ebbecke, William Cochran. With its open action, its multimedia structure an dits high degree of complexity, Die Soldaten is one of the most remarkable examples of 20th century opera. Bernhard Kontarsky conducts and Harry Kupfer directs. Recorded in Stuttgart in 1989.

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2) Program books : - George Benjamin : Written on Skin , Aix-en-Provence, July 7, 2012 - Pascal Dusapin : Faustus, the last Night , Lyon, March 7, 2006 (PDF) - Peter Eötvös : Lady Sarashina , Lyon, March 4, 2008 (PDF) - Detlev Glanert : Solaris , Bregenz, July 18, 2012 - Toshio Hosokawa : The Raven , Luxembourg, June 27, 2012 - Michael Levinas : Les Nègres , Lyon, January 20, 2004 (PDF) - Joaquín Nin-Culmell, La Celestina , Madrid, September 19, 2008 (PDF) - Lucia Ronchetti : Neumond , Mannheim July 1, 2012

3) Libretti : - Detlev Glanert / Reinhard Palm, Solaris , Berlin : Boosey & Hawkes Bote & Bock, 2012, 38 p. - Detlev Glanert / Carolyn Sittig, Nijinskys Tagebuch , Berlin : Boosey & Hawkes Bote & Bock, 2008, 39 p. - Luca Lombardi / Friedrich Christian Delius, Prospero , n.l. : n.n., 2007, 52 p. (PDF) - Joaquín Nin-Culmell, La Celestina , Madrid : Teatro de la Zarzuela, 2008, 19 p. (PDF) - Fabio Vacchi / Franco Marcoaldi, Teneke , Milano : Teatro alla Scala, 2007, 10 p. (PDF)

4) Books : - Márta Grabócz (ed.), Les Opéras de Peter Eötvös, entre orient et occident , Paris : Éditions des archives contemporaines, 2012, 174 p. - William Schoell, The Opera of the Twentieth Century , Jefferson : McFarland, 2006, 300 p.

5) Full scores : - Hans Werner Henze, Boulevard Solitude , Mainz : Schott, 2000, 260 p. - Hans Werner Henze, Das verratene Meer , Mainz : Schott, 2000, 492 p.

6) Vocal score : - Winfried Zillig, Troilus und Cressida , Wiesbaden : Brucknerverlag, 1950, 429 p.

7) CD :

Anthony Brandt : The Birth of Something , Albany, Troy 1144 with Karol Bennett and Michael Chioldi. First performed and recorded in Houston in 2006. A man and a woman find themselves in an opera and proceed through love scenes, death scenes, and domestic scenes on their way toward self-recognition. Conducted by Jonathan Shames. Fabrizio Carlone : Bonjour M. Gauguin , Contemporary Soundworks, CSWCD 1 with Philippe Georges, Maki Mori, Jean-François Chiama, Maria Soulis First performed in Venezia in October 2005. The libretto, based on the painter’s own writings, sheds light on the man’s complexity, controversy and poetry. Live recording of the world première. Conducted by Sandro Gorli. Don Davis : Río de Sangre , Albany, Troy 1296/97 with Guido LeBron, Kerry Walsh, John Duykers, Ava Pine, Vale Rideout, Mabel Ledo. First performed in Milwaukee on October 22nd, 2010. The opera tells the story of the overthrow of a dictatorship in a fictional Latin American country. Live recording of the first production. Conducted by Joseph Rescigno. Johanna Doderer : Der leuchtende Fluss , Quinton, Q-1101-2 with John Bellemer, Marisca Mulder, Peter Schöne, Stéphanie Müther First performed in Erfurt in October 2010. The opera tells the story of Ira Hayes, a native American of the Prima tribe, who helped in raising the flag after Iwo Jima battle. Recorded in Erfurt in 2010. Conducted by Walter E. Gugerbauer. Harold Farberman : Diamond Street , Albany, Troy 1232 with Charles Perry Sprawls, Patrick Layton, Keith Spencer, Megan Weston. First performed in Hudson (NY) on October 1st, 2009. It is based on Hudson’s past as a red-light district providing “entertainment” for Albany politicians and visitors from the region and afar. Recorded in 2010. Conducted by the composer.

Leporello - Nr. 12 - September 2012 page 3 Gordon Getty : Plump Jack , PentaTone, PTC 5186 445 With Christopher Robertson, Nikolai Schukoff, Melody Moore, Nathaniel Webster. First performed in San Francisco in 1987, the libretto is based on Shakespeare’s Henry IV (parts 1 & 2) and Henry V . Studio recording from May 2011. Conducted by Ulf Schimer. Daron Aric Hagen : Bandanna , Albany, Troy 849/50 with Lesley DeGroot, James Demier, Paul Kreider, Mark Thomsen, Darynn Zimmer. First performed in Austin on February 25, 1999. The opera tells the story of the Venetian Moor Otello in a tiny US-Mexico border town during 1968. Recorded in Las Vegas in February 2000. Conducted by the composer. Oliver Knussen : Higglety Pogglety Pop ! , Deutsche Grammophon, 469 556-2 with Cynthia Buchan, Lisa Saffer, Rosemary Hardy, Christopher Gillett Final version first performed in London on February 3, 1991. Fantasy opera for children based on Maurice Sendak’s book. Recorded in London in March 1999. Conducted by Oliver Knussen. Oliver Knussen : Where the Wild Things Are , Deutsche Grammophon, 469 556-2 with Lisa Saffer, Mary King, Christopher Gillett, David Wilson-Johnson Final version first performed in London on January 9, 1984. Fantasy opera for children based on Maurice Sendak’s book. Recorded in London in March 1999. Conducted by Oliver Knussen. Raphaël Lucas : Confession , Albany, Troy 1306 with Catherine Webber, Molly Davey, Diana Wangerin, Robert Balonek. First performed in New York in April 2009. Conceived as a prequel to Puccini’s Suor Angelica , the opera explains how a pregnancy led to interment in a convent. Recorded in New York in May 2011. Conducted by Hugh Murphy.

Evan Mack : Angel of the Amazon , Albany, Troy 1323/24 with Caitlin Mathes, Jose Rubio, Michael Armstrong Barr, Jose Candelaria. First performed in New York in May 2011. It is the story of a nun in the Brazilian Amazon, who had been murdered by gunmen she fed and prayed with. Recording of the original production. Conducted by Mara Waldman. Jorge Martín : Before Night Falls , Albany, Troy 1226/27 with Wes Mason, Seth Mease Carico, Jesus Garcia, Janice Hall, Courtney Ross First performed in Fort Worth on May 29, 2007. The opera follows the life of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas, from childhood poverty to his last decade suffering from AIDS. Recording of the world premiere. Conducted by Joseph Illick. Paul Mefano : Micromégas , Maguelone, MAG 111.170 with Nicholas Isherwood, Kaoli Isshiki, Rayanna Dupuis, Eric Trémolières First performed in Karlsruhe on April 16, 1988. Based on Voltaire’s philosophical tale, it is the story of an inhabitant of Sirius who discovers our planet. Recorded in Paris in July 2003. Conducted by Pierre Roullier.

In progress Shakespearean Opera Performance Guide This book will include all operas listed in previous studies as well as new operas composed in the last 20 years. It will give all information needed to perform it : characters with tessituras (and complete cast for the world première performance), complete orchestral setting, sets as described in libretto, duration, recordings, publishers. It is to be published before the Shakespeare anniversaries in 2014 (450th of his birth) and 2016 (400th of his death).

COWARC holds a collection of more than 6,100 documents published by opera companies since 1989 with information about more than 132,000 performances. A great amount of information has also been gathered on Shakespearean operas from all times and all countries.

Leporello is published by COWARC - Contemporary Opera Worldwide Archive and Research Center 29, rue de la Clef, F-75005 Paris Directeur de la publication : Mathias LEHN - Rédacteur en chef : Mathias LEHN contact : [email protected]

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