Opera
Opera Gay – Handel ed. Jeremy Barlow John Gay The Beggar’s Opera Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193363052 fl, 2 ob, hp, kbd, str Polly mezzo-soprano Lucy mezzo-soprano Macheath, a famous highwayman high baritone Peachum, head of the beggars and father of Polly bass Lockit, police chief and father of Lucy bass baritone Male and female chorus In this eighteenth-century ballad opera, a famous highwayman is pursued by his competing lovers and must elude pursuit by both the local jailer and his former associates in illegal business. The story satirises attitudes to poverty and injustice, and pillories corruption at all levels of society, while the format of ballad opera itself parodies the genre of Italian opera. This scholarly performing edition restores the music to its original eighteenth-century state, reconstructing the scoring of the songs from the evidence of surviving ballad-opera material from the period. The flexible arrangements allow for successful performance by a wide variety of groups from professional to amateur. 60 minutes George Frideric Handel ed. Anthony Lewis Athalia Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193367029 2 fl (or rec), 2 ob, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, timp, cont, str Athalia, Baalite Queen of Judah and daughter of Ahab and Jezebel soprano Josabeth, wife of Joad soprano Joas, King of Judah boy soprano Joad, High Priest alto Mathan, Priest of Baal, formerly a Jewish priest tenor Abner, Captain of the Jewish Forces bass Chorus of Young Virgins, Chorus of Israelites, Chorus of Priests and Levites, Chorus of Attendants, Chorus of Sidonian Priests Based on biblical events, Athalia tells the story of the overthrow of a usurping monarch. Queen Athalia believes that she has ended the line of Jewish kings by murdering all possible heirs, but unknown to her the High Priest of the Jews has rescued the last descendant and raised him as his own son. When the boy’s identity is revealed, the Queen’s soldiers desert her. Handel’s music is set to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys, itself inspired by Jean Racine’s play Athalie. 120 minutes ed. Anthony Lewis Imeneo Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193366763 2 ob, bsn, cont, str Imeneo bass Tirinto mezzo-soprano Rosmene soprano Clomiri soprano Argenio bass This early Handel opera is based on the legend of Hymen, Greek god of marriage. The titular hero rescues a group of women – including Rosmene, whom he loves – from a band of pirates; subsequently Rosmene must choose whether to marry for love or for duty. Composed in 1738, the opera has seen more than its share of rearrangements to its plot and music, and therefore benefits from this scholarly edition by Anthony Lewis, presented with both the original Italian text and English translation by Brian Trowell with Nigel Fortune. 110 minutes 16
ed. Winton Dean and Sarah Fuller Julius Caesar (Giulio Cesare in Egitto) Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193366800 2 fl, 2 ob, bsn, 4 hn, viola da gamba, teorba, hp, str (vln I, vln II, vln III, vla, basso) Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) alto Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt soprano Tolomeo, her brother, King of Egypt alto Cornelia, widow of Pompey alto Sesto, her stepson soprano Achilla, Tolomeo’s general bass Curio, a praetor, Caesar’s general bass Nireno, Cleopatra and Tolomeo’s servant alto satb chorus (opt) After Tolomeo, King of Egypt, presents the head of Pompey to Giulio Cesare as a token of support, Pompey’s widow and son vow to avenge him. Cleopatra joins them, intending to use their plans as a lever to overthrow her brother; she succeeds, and the opera ends with Cesare – who has fallen in love with her – making her Queen of Egypt. This scholarly and modern edition of Handel’s high-energy and pugnacious opera is presented with English translation by Brian Trowell, in addition to the original Italian text. 180 minutes ed. Anthony Lewis and Charles Mackerras Semele Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193367111 2 ob, 2 hn, 2 tpt, timp, cont, str Jupiter tenor Cadmus, King of Thebes bass Semele, daughter to Cadmus soprano Athamas, a prince of Bœotia alto Ino, sister to Semele mezzo-soprano Somnus bass Apollo tenor Juno mezzo-soprano Iris soprano High Priest bass Chorus of priests, augurs, loves, zephyrs, nymphs, swains and attendants With a libretto taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Semele tells the story of a mortal princess taken as a lover by the god Jupiter. When Jupiter’s wife Juno discovers the affair, she plots revenge. Though she succeeds, the god Bacchus is born to Jupiter and Semele. It was described by its composer as a musical drama ‘after the manner of an oratorio’. This edition is based on the autograph manuscript and conducting score, and includes historically informed suggestions for vocal ornamentation in addition to other practical performance markings. 180 minutes Opera Handel 17
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