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3. Opera and its text in our time

Librettist Emma Jenkins brings the story into the modern age where breaks in convention have provided exciting new possibiltites for today's librettists and for composers of opera.

How should we define what an opera is? According to librettist and opera producer Emma Jenkins, it is nothing more nor nothing less than "a story told to music". In this final episode of Emma's reflections on the nature of the libretto and the history of librettists she brings things into the modern age where breaks in convention have provided exciting new possibiltites for today's creators of opera. In the age of cinema, rolling news, TV, and things digital, a whole new range of possibilties have been opened up regarding how a story might be told when drama and music come together. The programme features the work of librettists WH Auden and Chester Kallman, Meredith Oakes, Martin Crimp, April de Angelis, Alice Goodman, Stephen Sondheim, David Pountney and Randolph Stow ; with the music of Igor Stravinsky, Mark Anthony Turnage, Michael Tippett, Thomas Ades, George Benjamin, Jonathon Dove, John Adams, Stephen Sondheim, Peter Maxwell Davis, and Kamala Sankaram.

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 May 2023 23:00
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Previous

2. Which comes first..? ('Prima le parole')

See all episodes from The Story of the Little Book

Music Played

  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    8 Songs For A Mad King - No. 7 Country Dance

    Singer: Kelvin Thomas. Ensemble: Psappha.
    • NMC.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Rake's Progress Act 1: Recitative. "My Father! Can I Desert Him" (Anne)

    Performer: Dawn Upshaw. Orchestra: Orchestre de l鈥橭p茅ra de Lyon. Choir: Choeur de l'Op茅ra de Lyon. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Rake's Progress Act 1: Cabaletta. "I Go, I Go to Him" (Anne)

    Performer: Dawn Upshaw. Orchestra: Orchestre de l鈥橭p茅ra de Lyon. Choir: Choeur de l'Op茅ra de Lyon. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.

  • Mark-Anthony Turnage

    Greek - Act 1 Scene 1: Pub and Wine Bar Music

    Performer: Quentin Hayes. Performer: Richard Suart. Performer: Fiona Kimm. Ensemble: The Greek Ensemble. Conductor: Richard Bernas.
    • Turnage: Greek.
    • ARGO.

  • Thomas Ad猫s

    The Tempest - Act 1 Scene 6: Five Fathoms Deep

    Singer: Cyndia Sieden. Choir: Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Thomas Ad猫s.
    • The Tempest.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 1.

  • Sir George Benjamin

    Written On Skin - Scene 4: Agnes and the Boy

    Performer: Sir George Benjamin. Singer: Barbara Hannigan. Singer: Bejun Mehta. Orchestra: Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
    • Written on Skin.
    • Nimbus.
    • 4.

  • Jonathan Dove

    Flight - Act 2: I bought this suitcase in New York

    Performer: Anne Manson. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Parry.
    • Flight.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 1.

  • John Adams

    Nixon in China: News has a kind of mystery

    Singer: Robert Orth. Orchestra: Colorado Symphony. Choir: Opera Colorado Chorus.
    • Nixon In China.
    • NAXOS.
    • 1.

  • Stephen Sondheim

    Company: Barcelona

    Performer: Dean Jones. Performer: Susan Browning.
    • The Sondheim Songbook.
    • SONY BROADWAY.
    • 12.

  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    Mr Emmet Takes a Walk, Op. 207: Episode 3, Hotel Room

    Performer: Adrian Clarke. Performer: Psappha.
    • Mr Emmet Takes A Walk.
    • Psappha.
    • 10.

  • Kamala Sankaram

    Miranda: The Whole Truth

    Performer: Kamala Sankaram. Performer: Katie Barna. Performer: Noam Berg. Performer: Shane Breaux. Performer: Hubert Chen. Performer: Jane Derenowski. Performer: Britney Harris. Performer: Kaitlin Harvey. Performer: Dave McKeel. Performer: Christin Meador. Performer: Julia Motyka. Performer: Ed RosenBerg. Performer: Amanda Villalobos.
    • Miranda-The Steampunk Murder Mystery Opera by Kamala Sankaram.
    • CD.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 21 May 2023 23:00
    大象传媒 Radio 3