Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Nico Muhly
Marnie (2017)
- St. Rose Music Publishing (World)
Commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera
Opera in two acts
- 3(2pic.afl).2(ca).3(ebcl.bcl).2(2cbsn)/4.3(pictpt).2+btbn.1/timp.4perc/hp.pf(cel)/str
- Chorus: Office workers, Anxiety chorus, Hunt riders, Country Club guests, Funeral attendees, Marnie’s other personae
- Baritone, Bass, Boy Soprano, 2 Contraltos, Countertenor, Mezzo Soprano, 5 Sopranos, 3 Tenors
- 2 hr
- Nicholas Wright
- English
Programme Note
Marnie, mezzo-soprano
Mark Rutland, baritone
Terry Rutland, countertenor
Mr. Strutt, tenor
Marnie's mother. contralto
Mrs. Rutland, coloratura soprano
Dr. Roman, bass
Laura Fleet, soprano
Malcolm Fleet, tenor
Dawn (Halcyon Printing secretary), soprano
Miss Fedder (Halcyon Printing superintendent), soprano
Mrs. Carby (Halcyon Printing assistant), contralto
Lucy (Marnie’s Mother’s neighbour), soprano
Little Boy (at Marnie’s Mother’s house), boy soprano
Derek, tenor
Chorus (Office workers, Anxiety chorus, Hunt riders, Country Club guests, Funeral attendees, Marnie’s other personae)
SYNOPSIS
Set in late 1950s England, Winston Graham’s novel was immortalised by the Hitchcock movie, which, despite its changes to a number of features of the original, restored in Nico Muhly’s opera, is the prism through which we inevitably see the action. Marnie is a deeply troubled young woman robbing from her employers and changing identity to stay one jump ahead of the law. She is eventually found out by Mark who, threatening to expose her crime, forces her into an initially loveless marriage but has the power to make her confront a past of which her damaged life has been the result.
Scores
Features
- Spotlight on Nico Muhly
- Explore Nico Muhly's expansive and varied catalogue as we put his work under the spotlight.
Reviews
Muhly has even provided the main character with four so-called "Shadow Marnies", who bring the multi-layered personality of this woman into the picture, but also make it audible.
Nico Muhly’s opera has its strengths in the mysterious transitions, the richness of colour, the sophisticated mix of high and low frequencies and the complex choral scenes
Muhly knows his craft as instrumentalist, when he lets the contrabassoons and tuba rumble in the depths, it has a threatening quality that is almost unbearable.
particularly moving is the chorale-like finale … the second part of the opera digs deeper musically and creates a more differentiated, often more intimate sound, which also offers the opportunity for vocal development in the numerous smaller parts
Muhly’s demanding, but thoroughly entertaining, never boring music
When the protagonist is badly tormented, the brass yells out …, the woodwinds comment shrill and sinister on all the nastiness, the orchestra drives the action pulsatingly and highly present over the two and a half hours of the performance, no note is too much, no chord wasted.