Annelies (2004)

Annelies is a 75-minute choral work for soprano soloist, choir and instrumentalists. The libretto is compiled and translated by Melanie Challenger from The Diary of Anne Frank. Music is by James Whitbourn. Annelies is the full forename of Anne Frank, now commonly referred to by her abbreviated forename, Anne.

The instrumental parts exist in two scorings: the larger is for full symphony orchestra while the smaller is for four solo players - clarinet, violin, cello and piano. Although the vocal writing is the same in both versions, the work can successfully be performed by a small chamber choir or by a large chorus. The chamber version has a few minor cuts.

Annelies is divided into fourteen movements.

1. Introit - prelude (instrumental)
2. The capture foretold
3. The plan to go into hiding
4. The last night at home and arrival at the Annexe
5. Life in hiding
6. Courage
7. Fear of capture and the second break-in
8. Sinfonia (Kyrie)
9. The Dream
10. Devastation of the outside world
11. Passing of time
12. The hope of liberation and a spring awakening
13. The capture and the concentration camp
14. Anne’s meditation

The world premiere of Annelies was given on April 5, 2005 at the Cadogan Hall, London. Leonard Slatkin conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Choir of Clare College Cambridge and soprano Louise Kateck.

The US premiere of Annelies was given on April 28, 2007 in Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. James Jordan and James Whitbourn conducted the Westminster Williamson Voices, an instrumental ensemble and soprano Lynn Eustis.

The world premiere of Annelies in its completed chamber version was given on June 12, 2009 in the German Church, The Hague, The Netherlands. Daniel Hope (violin) led the ensemble, with the Residentie Chamber Choir (conductor Jos Vermunt) and soprano Arianna Zukerman.