Animal Farm [1] is an English-language opera by Russian composer Alexander Raskatov based on George Orwell's 1944 novella of the same name. The opera contains two acts, nine scenes, and an epilogue, with a libretto written by Ian Burton and musical direction by Bassem Akiki. The project was conceived by Italian director Damiano Michieletto who collaborated with Raskatov on the project which was a co-commission by the Vienna State Opera, Teatro Massimo, and the Dutch National Opera. [2] [3]
The opera's premiere took place on 3 March 2023 as part of Dutch National Opera's 2022/2023 season and has been welcomed with great success by the audience. [4]
Roles | Amsterdam Premiere | Vienna Premiere [5] |
---|---|---|
Old Major | Gennady Bezzubenkov | Gennady Bezzubenkov |
Napoleon | Misha Kiria | Wolfgang Bankl |
Snowball | Michael Gniffke | Michael Gniffke |
Squealer | James Kryshak | Andrei Popov |
Boxer | Germán Olvera | Stefan Astakhov |
Benjamin | Karl Laquit | Karl Laquit |
Minimus | Artyem Krutko | Artyem Krutko |
Clover | Helena Rasker | Margaret Plummer |
Muriel | Maya Gour | Isabel Signoret |
Blacky | Elena Vassilieva | Elena Vassilieva |
Mollie | Holly Flack | Holly Flack |
Pigetta (young actress) | Karl Laquit | Karl Laquit |
Mr. Jones | Marcel Beekman | Daniel Jenz |
Mrs. Jones | Francis van Broekhuizen | Aurora Marthens |
Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novella, in the form of a beast fable, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of anthropomorphic farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, the rebellion is betrayed, and under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon, the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before.
Pietro Mascagni was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music. While it was often held that Mascagni, like Ruggero Leoncavallo, was a "one-opera man" who could never repeat his first success, L'amico Fritz and Iris have remained in the repertoire in Europe since their premieres.
Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano was an Italian composer, mainly of operas. His best-known work in that genre was Andrea Chénier (1896).
La fanciulla del West is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the 1905 play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco. Fanciulla followed Madama Butterfly, which was also based on a Belasco play. The opera has fewer of the show-stopping highlights that characterize Puccini's other works, but is admired for its impressive orchestration and for a score that is more melodically integrated than is typical of his previous work. Fanciulla displays influences from composers Claude Debussy and Richard Strauss, without being in any way imitative. Similarities between the libretto and the work of Richard Wagner have also been found though some attribute this more to the original plot of the play, and have asserted that the opera remains quintessentially Italian.
La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo.
Azio Corghi was an Italian composer, academic teacher and musicologist. He composed mostly operas and chamber music. His operas are often based on literature, especially in collaboration with José Saramago as librettist. His first opera, Gargantua, was premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1984, his second opera, Blimunda, was first performed at La Scala in Milan in the 1989/90 season, and his third opera, Divara – aqua e sangue, was premiered in 1993 at the Theater Münster, Germany. He taught composition at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, among other academies. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
Der König Kandaules is an opera in three acts by the Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky. Its libretto was adapted by the composer from Franz Blei's German translation of the play Le roi Candaule by French author André Gide.
Laurent Pelly is a French opera and theatre director. He is sought after by the world's most prestigious houses. With a natural affinity for Italian and French repertoire, his creative curiosity has also led him towards other composers, including Russian and Czech. He brings theatrical insight to his work with singers and his concepts often contain surreal invention and a dark sense of humour. A master of detail, he underlines his interpretation of characters through skilful and inspired costume designs.
Le duc d'Albe or Il duca d'Alba is an opera in three acts originally composed by Gaetano Donizetti in 1839 to a French language libretto by Eugène Scribe and Charles Duveyrier. Its title, which translates as The Duke of Alba, refers to its protagonist Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba. The work was intended for performance at the Paris Opéra. However, William Ashbrook notes that "Rosine Stoltz, the director's mistress, disliked her intended role of Hélène and Donizetti put the work aside when it was half completed".
Jewels is a three-act ballet created for the New York City Ballet by co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine. It premièred on Thursday, 13 April 1967 at the New York State Theater, with sets designed by Peter Harvey and lighting by Ronald Bates.
George Pehlivanian is a French-American conductor.
Animal Farm is a 1945 novel by George Orwell.
Jan Betrand Latham-Koenig, is a British conductor and sex offender. He conducted all of the BBC ensembles, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He was appointed an OBE for services to Russian-United Kingdom cultural relations and music in 2020. Latham-Koenig founded the Koenig Ensemble in 1976 and studied at the Royal College of Music.
Alexander Mikhailovich Raskatov is a Russian composer.
Gloria Lane Krachmalnick was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international performance career from 1949 to 1976. In her early career she distinguished herself by creating roles in the world premieres of two operas by Gian Carlo Menotti, the Secretary of the Consulate in The Consul (1950) and Desideria in The Saint of Bleecker Street (1954); both roles which she performed in successful runs on Broadway and on international tours. For her performance in The Consul she was awarded a Clarence Derwent Award and two Donaldson Awards.
The Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto was founded in 1947 by Adriano Belli, lawyer and musicologist, with the aim of helping young singers to start a career in opera, above all students who had already completed their singing studies and were gifted with artistic qualities, but had not yet made their artistic debut. The organization's offices are located in Spoleto, Italy.
Ștefan Pop is a Romanian operatic tenor. He is considered among today's leading lyric tenors and he is best known for bel canto repertoire. He has won several prizes including, in 2010, Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition and the Seoul International Music Competition.
Damiano Michieletto is an Italian stage director especially known for opera. He has staged productions at leading opera houses and festivals worldwide. His awards include the 2015 Laurence Olivier Award for the production of Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci at the Royal Opera House in London.
Stefan Soltész was a Hungarian-born Austrian conductor. Trained in Vienna, from 1997 to 2013 he was artistic director of the Aalto Theatre and Generalmusikdirektor in Essen, leading the opera house to international recognition.
Animal Farm is an upcoming British children's animated fantasy drama film directed by Andy Serkis, with a script written by Nicholas Stoller from a previous draft that was co-written by Rupert Wyatt and Serkis. Based on the novella of the same name by George Orwell, the adaptation is currently in production.