The Duenna[1] (La Dueña) is an English/German-language opera in three acts composed by Robert Gerhard to libretto by the composer, after the 1775 comedy The Duenna by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Composed from 1945 to 1947, the opera was premiered on BBC radio in 1949, conducted by Stanford Robinson and was received well. It was revised in 1951 for performance at the ISCM Festival in Wiesbaden, but there the use of popular melodies did not go down well with critics.[2] The opera is in part atonal, following Gerhard's teacher Schoenberg.[3][4]
Later, Gerhard had showed remorse for having infused the music with serial elements.[5]
It was staged, in English, in 1992 at Teatro Lirico Nacional, Madrid, conducted by Antoni Ros-Marbà and Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona.[1] Shortly after, Opera North staged their own version although it was not recorded.[5]
Merchant Don Jerome plans to marry his daughter Luisa to affluent Portuguese Jew Don Isaac, driving away her true love Don Antonio due to his meagre financial state. Donna Clara, the love of Luisa’s brother Ferdinand, has fled her home to escape her stepmother. Luisa conspires with her Duenna to fool her father. They trade clothes and push her father to get rid of the Duenna and imprison Luisa, thereby allowing the real Luisa to search for Ferdinand, allowing Duenna to capture Isaac as her lover.
Act 2Edit
Luisa meets the runaway Clara on her search. She reaches out to Isaac for help by pretending to be Clara who is now in love with Antonio. Isaac agrees to bring Antonio to her. His relationship with the masked Luisa improves when she says that marriage is only possible if they elope. The real Luisa, now in the home of Isaac, meets Antonio and becomes ecstatic when he agrees to be in a relationship with her.
Act 3Edit
Ferdinand believes that Antonio is giving up on Clara but soon both couples are happily married. All the plots are revealed before the duped Don Jerome.
RecordingEdit
La Dueña (The Duenna) (Chandos, 2013, CHAN9520-21)[7]
ReferencesEdit
^ abc"Roberto Gerhard Duenna - Opera". www.boosey.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
^William Lacey, ‘The vocal music of Roberto Gerhard 1917-1947’, unpub. M.Mus. Diss. King’s College, Cambridge, 25 1996. p. 25. "[I]t was dismissed by almost everybody on the grounds of having tunes".
^Gerhard The Duenna - Review Gramophone "The music, Spanish no longer – indeed atonal – darkens under this, refuses to allow us to laugh at Jerome's “We were never fond enough to quarrel”, "
^Amanda Holden The New Penguin Opera Guide 2001 p293 "This is particularly true of his only opera, The Duenna."
^Theater in Bielefeld 1975–1998, Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Redaktion Heidi Wiese, Heiner Bruns, Alexander Gruber, Fritz Stockmeier 1998.
^"Gerhard: La Dueña (The Duenna)". Presto Music. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
August 28, 2023
duenna, opera, duenna, dueña, english, german, language, opera, three, acts, composed, robert, gerhard, libretto, composer, after, 1775, comedy, duenna, richard, brinsley, sheridan, composed, from, 1945, 1947, opera, premiered, radio, 1949, conducted, stanford. The Duenna 1 La Duena is an English German language opera in three acts composed by Robert Gerhard to libretto by the composer after the 1775 comedy The Duenna by Richard Brinsley Sheridan Composed from 1945 to 1947 the opera was premiered on BBC radio in 1949 conducted by Stanford Robinson and was received well It was revised in 1951 for performance at the ISCM Festival in Wiesbaden but there the use of popular melodies did not go down well with critics 2 The opera is in part atonal following Gerhard s teacher Schoenberg 3 4 Later Gerhard had showed remorse for having infused the music with serial elements 5 Contents 1 Performance 2 Roles 3 Plot 3 1 Act 1 3 2 Act 2 3 3 Act 3 4 Recording 5 ReferencesPerformance EditIt was staged in English in 1992 at Teatro Lirico Nacional Madrid conducted by Antoni Ros Marba and Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona 1 Shortly after Opera North staged their own version although it was not recorded 5 The Bielefeld Opera under conductor Geoffrey Moull premiered the work in 1994 6 Roles EditRole Voice 1992 Premiere 1996 RecordingConductor Antoni Ros Marba Antoni Ros MarbaDon Jerome Bass Richard Van Allan Richard Van AllanDon Ferdinand Baritone Adrian ClarkeDonna Luisa Soprano Susannah GlanvilleThe Duenna Mezzo soprano Claire PowellDon Antonio Tenor Neill ArcherDonna Clara D almanza Mezzo soprano Ann TaylorDon Isaac Baritone Eric RobertsFather Paul Tenor Paul WadeLopez Speaking role Jeremy PeakerBrethren of Deadly Sin Tenor high baritone Stephen Briggs Bruce BuddLadies and Gentlemen of Fashion Townspeople Beggars SATB chorusGypsy Soprano Denise MulhollandDon Antonio s servant Speaking role David Owen LewisDonna Luisa s maid Speaking roleStrumpet Cavalier Bawd 2 Beaux Friars Wench Cardinal and Priests Lady in a Sedan Chair Dancers and Players Gypsy Children ComprimarioPlot EditLocation Seville Spain 1 Date 18th centuryTime Between dawn and evening Act 1 Edit Merchant Don Jerome plans to marry his daughter Luisa to affluent Portuguese Jew Don Isaac driving away her true love Don Antonio due to his meagre financial state Donna Clara the love of Luisa s brother Ferdinand has fled her home to escape her stepmother Luisa conspires with her Duenna to fool her father They trade clothes and push her father to get rid of the Duenna and imprison Luisa thereby allowing the real Luisa to search for Ferdinand allowing Duenna to capture Isaac as her lover Act 2 Edit Luisa meets the runaway Clara on her search She reaches out to Isaac for help by pretending to be Clara who is now in love with Antonio Isaac agrees to bring Antonio to her His relationship with the masked Luisa improves when she says that marriage is only possible if they elope The real Luisa now in the home of Isaac meets Antonio and becomes ecstatic when he agrees to be in a relationship with her Act 3 Edit Ferdinand believes that Antonio is giving up on Clara but soon both couples are happily married All the plots are revealed before the duped Don Jerome Recording EditLa Duena The Duenna Chandos 2013 CHAN9520 21 7 References Edit a b c Roberto Gerhard Duenna Opera www boosey com Retrieved 2023 03 28 William Lacey The vocal music of Roberto Gerhard 1917 1947 unpub M Mus Diss King s College Cambridge 25 1996 p 25 I t was dismissed by almost everybody on the grounds of having tunes Gerhard The Duenna Review Gramophone The music Spanish no longer indeed atonal darkens under this refuses to allow us to laugh at Jerome s We were never fond enough to quarrel Amanda Holden The New Penguin Opera Guide 2001 p293 This is particularly true of his only opera The Duenna a b Oliver Michael Gerhard The Duenna a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Theater in Bielefeld 1975 1998 Kerber Verlag Bielefeld Redaktion Heidi Wiese Heiner Bruns Alexander Gruber Fritz Stockmeier 1998 Gerhard La Duena The Duenna Presto Music Retrieved 2023 03 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Duenna opera amp oldid 1147257924, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
