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Selected Operas of Isabelle Aboulker As Repertoire for the University Opera Studio

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Selected Operas of Isabelle Aboulker As Repertoire for the University Opera Studio SELECTED OPERAS OF ISABELLE ABOULKER AS REPERTOIRE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OPERA STUDIO Patricia Beatrice O’Keefe, B.M., M.M. Thesis Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS December 2014 APPROVED: Jeffrey Snider, Major Professor Paula Homer, Committee Member Carol Wilson, Committee Member Stephen Austin, Chair of Vocal Studies Benjamin Brand, Director of Graduate Studies for the College of Music James Scott, Dean of the College of Music Mark Wardell, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School O'Keefe, Patricia Beatrice. Selected Operas of Isabelle Aboulker as Repertoire for the University Opera Studio. Doctor of Musical Arts (Performance), December 2014, 109 pp., bibliography, 96 titles. Aboulker’s operatic works present an opportunity for opera workshop programs in the United States to perform contemporary operatic works in a foreign language, revitalizing the operatic repertoire and giving students the opportunity to prepare and perform roles without the weight and influence of significant performance history. Aboulker’s style, which has been called “effectively simple,” allows developing students to work on new French language repertoire without the burden of excessively difficult or atonal vocal lines. Aboulker’s works are tuneful and humorous and her longest operatic work lasts a mere hour and a half. These qualities also serve to mitigate the challenge presented to the student by the French language. Many of Aboulker’s works are conceived specifically to be performed with piano only, or have already been published in piano reduction. Most of her operatic works are very short or divide easily into scenes that could be performed separately where the performance of a longer work is either not feasible or not desired. All of these characteristics combine to make the operas of Isabelle Aboulker a viable repertoire option for the university opera studio. Copyright 2014 By Patricia Beatrice O’Keefe ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is with gratitude that I acknowledge the guidance of committee members, especially of the Committee Chair in the preparation of this final dissertation document. Their patience and insight were invaluable in bringing this project to a satisfactory conclusion. I also wish to acknowledge the support of family members during the dissertation writing and editing process. Special thanks go to Sidney O’Keefe for proofreading and general moral support. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................... iii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 2 ISABELLE ABOULKER: COMPOSER AND TEACHER........................................................ 4 CHAPTER 3 SELECTING REPERTOIRE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OPERA STUDIO ................................. 10 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ANALYSIS OF SELECTED OPERATIC WORKS ............................... 20 CHAPTER 5 CENDRILLON (CINDERELLA)........................................................................................ 21 Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 21 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 23 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 23 Score Availability .................................................................................................................. 23 Roles ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Suitability for Full Production ............................................................................................... 28 Suitability for Scenes Programs ............................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER 6 JÉRÉMY FISHER ........................................................................................................... 30 Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 30 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 32 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 32 Score Availability .................................................................................................................. 32 Roles ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Suitability for Full Production ............................................................................................... 35 Suitability for Scenes Programs ............................................................................................ 35 iv CHAPTER 7 LA LACUNE (THE DEFICIENCY) .................................................................................... 37 Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 37 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 37 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 38 Score Availability .................................................................................................................. 38 Roles ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Suitability for Full Production ............................................................................................... 40 Suitability for Scenes Programs ............................................................................................ 40 CHAPTER 8 LEÇONS DE FRANÇAIS AUX ÉTUDIANTS AMÉRICAINS (FRENCH LESSONS FOR AMERICAN STUDENTS) ................................................................................................................. 41 Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 41 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 41 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 41 Score Availability .................................................................................................................. 42 Scenes 1-3: (Jean-Marie/Marie-Jeanne, L’appel, Le plus et le moins) ................................. 42 Scene 4: La classe (The class) ................................................................................................ 45 Scene 5: Agence de voyages (Travel Agency) ....................................................................... 46 Scene 6: Le futur (The Future) .............................................................................................. 48 Scene 7: Le grand siècle ou les grands airs (The great century or grandiose airs)............... 50 Scene 8: Aphorismes (Aphorisms) ........................................................................................ 51 Suitability for Full Production ............................................................................................... 54 Suitability for Scenes Programs ............................................................................................ 54 CHAPTER 9 MONSIEUR DE BALZAC FAIT SON THÉÂTRE (MR. BALZAC CREATES HIS THEATER) ... 55 v Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 55 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 58 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 58 Score Availability .................................................................................................................. 58 Roles ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Suitability for Full Production ............................................................................................... 72 Suitability for Scenes Programs ............................................................................................ 73 CHAPTER 10 PETIT OPÉRA THÉRAPEUTIQUE (LITTLE THERAPEUTIC OPERA) ............................... 74 Plot Synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 74 Duration ................................................................................................................................ 74 Orchestration ........................................................................................................................ 74 Score Availability
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