Scoring A Century

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Scoring A Century is an opera with music by English composer David Blake. [1] The libretto was written by Opera Director Keith Warner. It is described as a 'low entertainment for highbrows, or vice versa'.

Contents

It tells the history of Mr and Mrs Jedermann, a couple of song and dance merchants, and incidentally of the twentieth century too.

The Jedermanns stumble through the momentous events, politics and social change of the last one hundred years, never ageing and only begrudgingly developing. Their sole aim is to provide some songs and snatches, to raise a laugh or provoke a tear. The form the piece adopts is more that of musical comedy than opera. It is a modern Singspiel, a review of a century in nineteen panels. There is dialogue and songs, but from time to time the action is interrupted by through-composed mini-operas which contain the serious, imaginative heart of the show.

Performance history

Scoring a Century was originally conceived as part of the millennium celebrations. Scenes from the work were premiered by the University of York Music Department in November 1999 whilst the complete work was being lined up to debut at Portland Opera, Oregon. Just as plans were beginning to finalise, however, the US] suffered the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “After 9/11, American opera houses immediately lost their budgets and Portland Opera decided to do Bohèmes and Magic Flutes instead,” Blake says. “It was a big disappointment.” [2]

On March 4, 2010 the Opera received its World Premiere at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, by students from the Birmingham Conservatoire vocal department, directed by Warner and conducted by Lionel Friend.

Roles

RoleVoice TypePremiere Cast,
4 March 2010
(Conductor: Lionel Friend)
Ernest JedermannBaritoneMatthew Cooper
Edith JedermannMezzoLucie Louvrier
PrivateTenorBenjamin Gillham
SergeantBaritoneJoseph Kennedy
NurseMezzoAnna Jeffers
Woodrow WilsonTenorKristian Cleworth
ClemenceauTenorMikael Onelius
Lloyd GeorgeBassJames Davies
LeninBassIan McFarlane
ManagerSpokenDebbie Oliver
Jedermann's SonSpokenDale Harris
BertholdTenorHenrik Lagercrantz
Studio AssistantSpokenHannah Nye
Young ManSpokenBen Gillham
ViolinistSpokenJoshua Takacs
TartineSopranoFrancesca Saracino
Man in Nazi UniformSpokenThomas Arnold-Haynes
Gestapo OfficerSpokenCraig Jackson
FatherBaritoneHedd Owen Griffiths
MotherMezzoFiona Krober/Shira Lang
Station MasterBassTimothy Elliot
Voice Of SonSpokenDale Harris
KommissarSpokenAndrea Tjader
American ChairmanTenorLee Beaumont
Soviet ProsecutorBassMatthew Durkan
Girl in JeansSopranoPenny Appleyard
Old ManTenorMitesh Khatri
Woman 1MezzoOlivia Barry /Harriet Campbell(alternating)
Woman 2SopranoLianne Birkett/Georgina Stalbow(alternating)
Woman 3SopranoClaire Lees/Roma Loukes(alternating)
Woman in BlackSpokenAndrea Pfenninger
Hippy 1SpokenJoe Kennedy
Hippy 2SpokenStephanie Darkins
Hippy 3SpokenYukimi Muta
Hippy 4SpokenRosie Secker
Mary LouSpokenRachel Farr
Stage ManagerSpokenRose Mitchell
Police OfficerSpokenKay Standen
African-AmericanSpokenRoberta Turner
Nurse(Act 2)SpokenAmelia Burns
YuppieTenorCraig Jackson
Bennie BlumenkohlSpokenJoe Kennedy
EvitaSpokenRosie Secker
Studio ProducerSpokenAustine Broad
EngineerSpokenTimothy Elliott
ChorusAll of the above plus Phillippa Cairns, Rachel Bowden, Claire Barnett Jones and Stephanie McClean

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References

  1. Amanda Holden (2001). The New Penguin Opera Guide . Penguin. ISBN   978-0-14-051475-9.
  2. Interview and Article with David Blake and Keith Warner, Financial Times website, (subscription required)