WebClipClick here to listen to 3 clips of the original version of The Ghosts of Versailles.
Photo credit: Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Poster for June 17 premiere of new orchestration of Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles.
Corigliano's Ghosts
On June 17 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis debuts a new performing version of John Corigliano’s widely acclaimed opera, The Ghosts of Versailles. This new production, co-produced with Wexford Opera Festival (October 2009) and Vancouver Opera (2011) is directed by James Robinson, Artistic Director of OTSL, and conducted by Michael Christie, and features Maria Kanyova as Marie Antoinette, Kevin Glavin as Louis XVI, James Westman as Beaumarchais, and Christopher Feigum as Figaro.
Commenting on this reduced version, Corigliano explains that he and his collaborator, librettist William Hoffman “always felt that the opera would benefit from being seen through a closer lens.” To Corigliano, this reduced orchestration focuses the audience on the true nature of the work: “that is, while Ghosts is, in part, an entertaining buffa, it is also a serious meditation on history and change: specifically on how change comes about both in politics and in Art.” The new version honors this bold vision: rather than reject the past to forge a new future Corigliano and Hoffman choose to celebrate change by embracing the past to move into the future. Corigliano expects the leaner version of Ghosts will communicate this message more clearly: "The MET’s introduction of The Ghosts of Versailles was one of the high points of my artistic life. Still, this smaller, focused production may demonstrate — as well as its practicality — more of what the work itself has to say. I can hardly wait."
The Ghosts of Versailles reduced orchestration
2 Hours, 30 Minutes
3 Sopranos, 2 Mezzo Sopranos, 3 Tenors, 2 Baritones
2(pic).2(ca).2(bcl:ebcl).2(cbn)/2220/timp.2[=3]perc/hp,pf(cel).syn/str (min 66443)
Please click here for more eNews, audio, videos and more!
