Oscar Strasnoy (born November 12, 1970) is a French-Argentine composer, conductor and pianist.[1] Although primarily known for his stage works, the first of which Midea (2) premiered in Spoleto in 2000, his principal compositions also include two secular cantatas and several song cycles.
Luciano Berio awarded him the 2000 Orpheus Prize for his chamber operaMidea (2) produced at the Teatro Caio Melisso in Spoleto in 2000 and at the Rome Opera in 2001.[4] He was also artist in residence at the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, in 2003 at the Villa Kujoyama in Kyoto (Institut français), and in 2006 at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Umbria, Italy.[5] In 2007 he received a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship for Music Composition.[6] Radio France, in association with the parisian Théâtre du Châtelet, featured Strasnoy as the main composer of the Festival Présences 2012, a retrospective of most of his works in 14 concerts in January 2012.
Compositions
Oscar Strasnoy has composed twelve stage works, including operas performed at Spoleto, Rome, Paris (Opéra Comique, Théâtre du Châtelet),[7] Hamburg, Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires), Berlin State Opera; a live-accompanied silent film score for Anthony Asquith's Underground which premiered at the Louvre in 2004 and was subsequently played at the Cine Doré in Madrid, the Mozarteum Argentino, Kyoto, and Tokyo) and a secular cantata, Hochzeitsvorbereitungen (mit B und K). He also composed several pieces of chamber, vocal and orchestral music, including his song cycle Six Songs for the Unquiet Traveller which premiered in 2004 performed by the Nash Ensemble and Ann Murray in a concert to inaugurate the newly refurbished Wigmore Hall in London.[8]
In January 2012 a retrospective of his work in 14 concerts has been presented at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris as part of the Festival Présences of Radio France. Strasnoy's works are primarily published by Universal Edition (Vienna) Chant du Monde (Paris) and Billaudot (Paris). His opera Midea is published by Ricordi (Milan).[9]
1996-1999: "Midea (2)" chamber opera. Libretto (in Italian) by Irina Possamai. Premièred at the Teatro Caio Melisso, Spoleto, Italy, 8 September 2000 directed by Hennig Brockhaus, conducted by Andrea Molino.
2002: "Opérette". Libretto (in French) by Witold Gombrowicz. Premièred at the Grand Théâtre of Reims, France, 10 January 2003[10] directed by Christian Gangneron.
2003: "Geschichte", operetta a cappella. Libretto (in German) by Galin Stoev and Oscar Strasnoy based on Witold Gombrowicz's play, premièred at Theaterhaus Stuttgart, 31 March 2004, directed by Galin Stoev. Second production in 2011 directed by Titus Selge. Third production at the Berlin Staatsoper, Sept.-Oct. 2015, directed by Isabel Ostermann.
2005: "Fabula", pocket-opera. Libretto (in Spanish and Yiddish) by Alejandro Tantanian. Premièred at Teatro San Martín, Buenos Aires, 29 November 2005, directed by Renate Ackermann.
2000-2006: "L'instant", children opera in one act. Libretto (in French) by Alejandro Tantanian. Premièred at Maison des Arts de Créteil, Paris, 2008 (concert version), conducted by Oscar Strasnoy.
2008-2009: "Le Bal" opera in one act based on Irène Némirovsky's novelette The Ball, libretto (in French) by Matthew Jocelyn, premièred in Hamburg Opera-House, 7 March 2010, directed by Matthew Jocelyn, conducted by Simone Young. Second production: Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, January 2012, directed (semi-staged) by Matthew Jocelyn, conducted by Anu Tali. Third production: Prinzregententheater of Munich, November 2012, directed by Karsten Wiegand, conducted by Ulf Schirmer.
2009-2010: "Un Retour", chamber opera in one act, Libretto (in Spanish, French and Latin) by Alberto Manguel based on his novel El Regreso, premièred at Festival d'Aix en Provence, France, 5 July 2010)[11]
2010: "Cachafaz" opera in two acts. Libretto (in Spanish) by Copi based on dis play, premièred at Théâtre de Cornouaille, Quimper, France, Nov. 2010),[7] directed by Benjamin Lazar, conducted by Geoffroy Jourdain. Second production: Teatro San Martín of Buenos Aires, Nov. 2012, directed by Pablo Maritano and conducted by Pierre Roullier.
2011-2012: "Случай" (Slutchai, Incidents), chamber opera in two acts. Libretto (in Russian) by Christine Dormoy based on Daniil Kharms writings. Premiered at Bordeaux Opera House, 26 November 2012, directed by Christine Dormoy, conducted by Oscar Strasnoy. Second Production, new version ("Fälle" in German) at Zürich Opera House, premiere on 8 May 2015, directed by Jan Eßinger, conducted by Carrie-Ann Matheson.
2012-2014: "Requiem", opéra in two acts. Libretto (in English and Latin) by Matthew Jocelyn based on the novel Requiem for a nun by William Faulkner, premièred at Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires, 10 June 2014, directed by Matthew Jocelyn, conducted by Christian Baldini.
2015-2016: "Comeback", chamber opera. Libretto (in German) by Christoph Hein, based on "Tilla" and "Jannings" by Christoph Hein. Première: Staatsoper Berlin, 30 September 2016.
2016-2017: "Luther". Libretto (in German) by Christoph Hein. Première: Händel-Halle, Halle, 22 October 2017.
2022-2023: "Robinson". Libretto (in German) by Sigrid Behrens. Première: Staatsoper Berlin, Halle, 25 February 2023.
Concert works (selection)
1992: Piano 1: Incognito (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
1995: Piano 2: Britannicus
1995: Naipes, for Pierrot-Lunaire-type quintet (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
1997: Piano 3: à Corinthe (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
1999: Piano 4: 5 pièces (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
1999: Two tangos (Ed. Lemoine, Paris)
2000: Bloc-notes d'Ephemera (1) for ensemble
2000: Bloc-notes d'Ephemera (2) for two pianos (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
2002: Piano 5: Exercices de Latinité (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2000-(rev. 2005): Hochzeitsvorbereitungen (mit B und K) (cantata)[12] (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
2004: Underground, music for the 1928 silent film by Anthony Asquith.[3]
2004: Six Songs for the Unquiet Traveller (on texts by Alberto Manguel) (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
2005: Scherzo (Sum nº 3) for orchestra (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
2006: The End (Sum nº 4) for orchestra (Ed. Le Chant du Monde/Wise Music)
2008: Quodlibet, song cycle, premièred in Stuttgart, 2008.[10]
2010: "Heine", song cycle on poems by Heinrich Heine (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2009-2011: Incipit (Sum nº 1), for orchestra (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2009-2011: Y (Sum nº 2, for orchestra) (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2012: Odyssée, cantata (libretto: Alberto Manguel), for 12 vocal soloists, 5 choirs and three instrumental groups (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2013: Vague-Requiem, for Cello Octet (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2016: Ghost Stories, for string quartet and 33rpm record (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2016: Automaton, for violin and chamber orchestra (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2017: Kuleshov, for piano and chamber orchestra (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2017: Ittingen-Concerto, for chamber orchestra (Ed. Billaudot, Paris)
2017: 2. Juni (from "Tage-Buch"), for violin, horn and 33rpm record.
2017: 4. Juni, (from "Tage-Buch") for solo violin and 33rpm record.
2017: 5. Juni, (from "Tage-Buch") for violin and tenor.
2017: Flashbacks, for 10 instruments. Première: 8 DEC 2017 by the Ensemble Modern Frankfurt, in Munich. Ed. Billaudot.
2018: d'Amore, for viola d'amore and ensemble. Première: 20 OCT 2018 by Garth Knox and the Ensemble Modern, in Donaueschingen. Ed. Billaudot.
2019: Trí Amhrán Ghaelacha (Three Irish Songs) for tenor and piano.
2019: Chanzuns Popularas Rumanchas (Rhaetian Folk Songs) for female singer and ensemble. Première: 29 MAY 2019, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Universal Edition
2019: Zaunkönig und -gäste, for orchestra. Première: 1 JUL 2019 by the Musikalische Akademie des Nationaltheater-Orchesters Mannheim conducted by Alexander Soddy. Ed. Billaudot
2019: Verschiedene Canones - Neue Auflösungen (nach J.S. Bachs Canones, BWV 1087) for baroque orchestra and percussion. Première: 19 OCT 2019 in Berlin, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (Universal Edition)
2019: Für Felice for vocal ensemble (12 voices) and instrument ad libitum. Commissioned by the Ensemble Musicatreize (Universal Edition)
2020: Three Kamasutra Etudes, for vocal ensemble (12 voices). (Universal Edition)
2010: La Forza del Destino, Overture by Giuseppe Verdi, for ensemble.
2011: Trois caprices de Paganini, for violin and orchestra.
2011: "Dido and Aeneas" chamber opera based on Henry Purcell's opera), for seven singers, two pianos, two brass instruments and two percussion players. Premièred in Paris, Théâtre du Châtelet, January 2012 (concert version) conducted by Roland Hayrabedian.
2017 Two Schubert Menuets (from "Fünf Menuette mit sechs Trios"), Nº 3 and Nº 5 for octet (like Schubert's Octet).
2019: Romanze Op. 118, Nº 5 (by Johannes Brahms), arrangement for violin and orchestra. Première: 25 APR 2019 at the Elbphiharmonie Hamburg, Isabelle Faust, NDR Elbphilharmonie-Orchester, cond. Antonello Manacorda.
2020: Saint François d'Assise, opera by Olivier Messiaen (re-orchestration for reduced (à 2) orchestra). Première: 15 OCT 2020 at Theater Basel, Switzerland.
Discography
2022: Tombeau de Monjeau, for piano. Mara Dobresco CD La Scala.
2022: Chanzuns Popularas Rumanchas, for female voice and ensemble. Sarah Maria Sun and Ensemble SONGS CD SONGS OO1.
1999: Premio "Orpheus", Spoleto, Italy, for "Midea".
Related Research Articles
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. A member of Les Six, his best known work is probably Antigone, composed between 1924 and 1927 to the French libretto by Jean Cocteau based on the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles. It premiered on 28 December 1927 at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie with sets designed by Pablo Picasso and costumes by Coco Chanel. However, his most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which was inspired by the sound of a steam locomotive.
António Chagas Rosa is a Portuguese composer of contemporary classical music, considered one of the leading figures of contemporary musical writing of his generation.
Gerald Barry is an Irish composer.
Philippe Boesmans was a Belgian pianist, composer and academic teacher. He studied to be a pianist at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, and was self-taught as a composer, influenced by the Liège Group of Henri Pousseur, André Souris, and Célestin Deliège, and by attending the Darmstädter Ferienkurse. He worked for the Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) from 1961, as a producer from 1971.
Albert Louis Wolff was a French conductor and composer of Dutch descent. Most of his career was spent in European venues, with the exception of two years that he spent as a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and a few years in Buenos Aires during the Second World War. He is most known for holding the position of principal conductor with the Opéra-Comique in Paris for several years. He was married to the French mezzo-soprano Simone Ballard.
Laura Claycomb is an American lyric coloratura soprano singer.
Le roi d'Ys is an opera in three acts and five tableaux by the French composer Édouard Lalo, to a libretto by Édouard Blau, based on the old Breton legend of the drowned city of Ys. That city was, according to the legend, the capital of the kingdom of Cornouaille.
John Kennedy is an American conductor and composer.
Mark Grey is an American classical music composer, sound designer and sound engineer.
Joseph is an opéra comique in three acts by the French composer Étienne Méhul. The libretto, by Alexandre Duval, is based on the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. The work was first performed by the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 17 February 1807 at the Théâtre Feydeau. It mixes musical numbers with spoken dialogue and is described in both the libretto and the printed announcement for the opening night as a drame en trois actes, mêlé de chant, although the Méhul scholar Elizabeth Bartlet catalogues it as an opéra en prose.
Maurice Jaubert was a prolific French composer who scored some of the most important films of the early sound era in France, including Jean Vigo’s Zero for Conduct and L'Atalante, and René Clair’s Quatorze Juillet and Le Dernier Milliardaire. Serving in both world wars, he died in action during World War II at the age of 40.
André Bon is a French composer. A student of Olivier Messiaen, he has composed over fifty works including several chamber operas. He is Professor of Composition at the Argenteuil Conservatory.
Émilie is an opera – specifically a 9-scene, 75-minute monodrama for soprano – by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho to a libretto by Amin Maalouf. It was written in 2008. Based on the life and writings of Marquise Émilie du Châtelet (1706–1749), the work premiered at the Opéra de Lyon, France, on 1 March 2010, with Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, its dedicatee, in the title role. It recounts the achievements of this mathematician, physicist, and mistress of Voltaire: the first woman to establish an international scientific reputation, with pioneering work in the study of fire.
Michel Rateau is a French composer.
Thierry Joseph-Louis Escaich is a French organist and composer.
Guillaume Connesson is a French composer born in 1970 in Boulogne-Billancourt.
Jean-Baptiste Robin is a French composer and organist.
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.
Gérard Condé is a French composer and music critic.
David Chaillou is a French composer, born in 1971.
References
↑ John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2008) p. 183
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
