The Second Mrs Kong is an opera in two acts, with music by Sir Harrison Birtwistle to a libretto by Russell Hoban. Glyndebourne Touring Opera first staged the opera on 24 October 1994.[1][2] The cast included Philip Langridge, Helen Field and Michael Chance. Tom Cairns designed and directed the production, in collaboration with choreographer Aletta Collins. Elgar Howarth was the conductor. This production was recorded for the National Video Archive of Performance by the V&A Theatre Museum. This recording is available to view by appointment at the V&A Collections Centre and Reading Room in Olympia, London.
The opera is a mix of ancient and modern mythologies as well as history. Jonathan Cross has commented that the work, "like so many of Birtwistle's operas....is concerned with mythology" and is more about "the idea of Kong" rather than King Kong as such. He has also analysed parallels between this work and Birtwistle's earlier opera The Mask of Orpheus.[3] Robert Adlington has critically discussed the relationship of the opera's music to the words.[4] David Beard has examined in detail the relationship of various forms of images to the music and Birtwistle's and Hoban's collaboration.[5]
The second production of the opera took place in 1996 in Vienna.[6] The London premiere of the work was in November 2004, as part of the 70th birthday concerts for Birtwistle.[7]
Chorus of the Dead, populating the world of shadows
Synopsisedit
Act 1edit
The setting is the World of Shadows, a realm of the dead where historical people and fictional characters can intermingle. Anubis transports the dead to the World of Shadows. The dead are permitted to relive selected moments from their past. One such moment is when Vermeer paints Pearl as the subject of his painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. Pearl first learns of the existence of the mythical giant ape King Kong after she hears his voice through the mirror that is in the room where Vermeer is painting. Kong himself is metaphysically trying to determine his identity while in denial of his own death. When he becomes aware of Pearl through the mirror, he becomes infatuated with her.
Later in the Act, Pearl is residing in a "stockbroker's high-tech penthouse", and at one point sees an excerpt from the 1933 film of King Kong on television. Pearl decides to try to establish a connection with Kong. Kong determines to leave the World of Shadows to find Pearl in the World of the Living, with the help of Orpheus.
Act 2edit
Orpheus joins Kong in his quest as they leave the World of Shadows. Four female temptations assault them, and one severs Orpheus' head. At the entrance to the World of the Living, Kong and the Head of Orpheus ("all that remains") encounter the Sphinx, who challenges Kong. Kong passes the trial. Kong manages to contact Pearl by telephone, but Death of Kong, Kong's nemesis, attacks Kong; Kong prevails in the fight. Kong and Pearl then try to meet and declare their love. However, they ultimately cannot touch each other.
Referencesedit
^Hewett, Ivan, "The Second Coming" (January 1995). The Musical Times, 136 (1823): pp. 46-55.
^Samuel, Rhian, ‘Time Remembered: Birtwistle’s The Second Mrs Kong’ (October 1994). Opera, lxv, 10: pp. 1153-58
^Cross, Jonathan, "The Action Never Stops, It Only Changes" (November 1994). The Musical Times, 135 (1821): pp. 698-703.
^Adlington, Robert, "Harrison Birtwistle's Recent Music" (April 1996). Tempo (New Ser.), 196: pp. 2-8.
^Beard, David (2006). "'A face like music': Shaping images into sound in The Second Mrs Kong" (PDF). Cambridge Opera Journal. 18 (3): 273–300. doi:10.1017/S0954586706002205. S2CID 53413294.
^Wintle, Christopher, A Fine & Private Place (November 1996). The Musical Times, 137 (1845): pp. 5-8.
^Andrew Clements (11 November 2004). "The Second Mrs Kong". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
^Cross, Jonathan, "From Opera House to Concert Hall: 'The Cry of Anubis'" (1995). Tempo, 192: p. 37.
April 11, 2024
second, kong, opera, acts, with, music, harrison, birtwistle, libretto, russell, hoban, glyndebourne, touring, opera, first, staged, opera, october, 1994, cast, included, philip, langridge, helen, field, michael, chance, cairns, designed, directed, production,. The Second Mrs Kong is an opera in two acts with music by Sir Harrison Birtwistle to a libretto by Russell Hoban Glyndebourne Touring Opera first staged the opera on 24 October 1994 1 2 The cast included Philip Langridge Helen Field and Michael Chance Tom Cairns designed and directed the production in collaboration with choreographer Aletta Collins Elgar Howarth was the conductor This production was recorded for the National Video Archive of Performance by the V amp A Theatre Museum This recording is available to view by appointment at the V amp A Collections Centre and Reading Room in Olympia London The Second Mrs KongOpera by Harrison BirtwistleThe composer in 2008LibrettistRussell HobanLanguageEnglishPremiere24 October 1994 1994 10 24 Glyndebourne Touring OperaThe opera is a mix of ancient and modern mythologies as well as history Jonathan Cross has commented that the work like so many of Birtwistle s operas is concerned with mythology and is more about the idea of Kong rather than King Kong as such He has also analysed parallels between this work and Birtwistle s earlier opera The Mask of Orpheus 3 Robert Adlington has critically discussed the relationship of the opera s music to the words 4 David Beard has examined in detail the relationship of various forms of images to the music and Birtwistle s and Hoban s collaboration 5 The second production of the opera took place in 1996 in Vienna 6 The London premiere of the work was in November 2004 as part of the 70th birthday concerts for Birtwistle 7 Contents 1 Roles 2 Synopsis 2 1 Act 1 2 2 Act 2 3 ReferencesRoles editRole Voice type Premiere Cast 24 October 1994 Conductor Elgar Howarth Kong the idea of him tenor Philip LangridgePearl Vermeer s Girl with a Pearl Earring soprano Helen FieldOrpheus forever singing his loss Head of Orpheus counter tenor Michael ChanceAnubis a jackal headed boatman Death of Kong a wrong assumption 8 bass baritone Steven PageVermeer left behind by Pearl baritone Omar EbrahimInanna Mrs Dollarama dead former beauty queen mezzo soprano Phylis CannanMr Dollarama dead film producer baritone Robert PoultonMirror Mirror Echo the voice of reflection soprano Deborah YorkSwami Zumzum Inanna s dead spiritual advisor tenor Kevin WestMadame Lena the customary sphinx alto Nuala WillisWoman Model Terror temptation soprano Jacquelyn ParkerWoman Model Despair temptation mezzo soprano Elizabeth GronowWoman Model Fear temptation mezzo soprano Clarissa MeekWoman Model Doubt temptation soprano Louise ArmitEurydice forever lost to Orpheus soprano Liza PulmanJoe Shady Monstrous Messenger bass Henry WaddingtonChorus of the Dead populating the world of shadowsSynopsis editAct 1 edit The setting is the World of Shadows a realm of the dead where historical people and fictional characters can intermingle Anubis transports the dead to the World of Shadows The dead are permitted to relive selected moments from their past One such moment is when Vermeer paints Pearl as the subject of his painting Girl with a Pearl Earring Pearl first learns of the existence of the mythical giant ape King Kong after she hears his voice through the mirror that is in the room where Vermeer is painting Kong himself is metaphysically trying to determine his identity while in denial of his own death When he becomes aware of Pearl through the mirror he becomes infatuated with her Later in the Act Pearl is residing in a stockbroker s high tech penthouse and at one point sees an excerpt from the 1933 film of King Kong on television Pearl decides to try to establish a connection with Kong Kong determines to leave the World of Shadows to find Pearl in the World of the Living with the help of Orpheus Act 2 edit Orpheus joins Kong in his quest as they leave the World of Shadows Four female temptations assault them and one severs Orpheus head At the entrance to the World of the Living Kong and the Head of Orpheus all that remains encounter the Sphinx who challenges Kong Kong passes the trial Kong manages to contact Pearl by telephone but Death of Kong Kong s nemesis attacks Kong Kong prevails in the fight Kong and Pearl then try to meet and declare their love However they ultimately cannot touch each other References edit Hewett Ivan The Second Coming January 1995 The Musical Times 136 1823 pp 46 55 Samuel Rhian Time Remembered Birtwistle s The Second Mrs Kong October 1994 Opera lxv 10 pp 1153 58 Cross Jonathan The Action Never Stops It Only Changes November 1994 The Musical Times 135 1821 pp 698 703 Adlington Robert Harrison Birtwistle s Recent Music April 1996 Tempo New Ser 196 pp 2 8 Beard David 2006 A face like music Shaping images into sound in The Second Mrs Kong PDF Cambridge Opera Journal 18 3 273 300 doi 10 1017 S0954586706002205 S2CID 53413294 Wintle Christopher A Fine amp Private Place November 1996 The Musical Times 137 1845 pp 5 8 Andrew Clements 11 November 2004 The Second Mrs Kong The Guardian Retrieved 2007 09 16 Cross Jonathan From Opera House to Concert Hall The Cry of Anubis 1995 Tempo 192 p 37 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Second Mrs Kong amp oldid 1198371489, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
