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Vision of Lear

Opera in 2 acts
Libretto adapted from William Shakespeare by Tadashi Suzuki
Edition: Performance material

Product Details

Description

A nurse is reading to an old man from Shakespeare’s King Lear. During the man’s reminiscences of his life, his memories fuse with the story of Lear … Before the aged king divides his kingdom among his heirs, he demands that his three daughters declare their love for him. Only the youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to make the required profession of love and is banned from the kingdom. Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester, convinces his father that Edgar, the legitimate heir, is planning to murder his father. Edgar is also banned. As soon as Lear’s elder daughters, Goneril and Regan, have divided the inheritance between them, they begin to treat their father with contempt.
The old man, shunted off into hospital, becomes agitated: in his visions, he thinks he is bringing Goneril and Regan to court. The nurse continues to read: Gloucester attempts to save Lear and in turn is brought into Regan’s clutches. The old man continues to fantasise. In Lear’s own words, he begins to threaten the figures of his fantasies. The nurse remains unperturbed …
Consumed by her desire for Edmund, Goneril poisons her rival Regan. Edgar acts out his revenge on Edmund in a duel. Edmund admits too late that he has issued instructions for Lear and Cordelia to be killed. Lear appears with the corpse of Cordelia in his arms and dies of despair. With these visions, the death struggle of the old man also comes to an end. Enthralled by the story, the nurse continues to read her book. Only her laughter can be heard echoing from the stage...

Orchestral Cast

1(afl, bfl&pic).0.1(bcl).0-0.0.0.0-2perc(I: b.d, tam-t, 3sus cym, 4bng, cym.ant, gong, 3tri, 4tom-t, s.d, 3wdbl, lion's roar, 4rins on timp, xyl, marac; II: b.d, tam-t, 3sus cym, 4bng, vib, cym.ant, 3tri, glsp, tub bells, 4tom-t, 4wdbl, 2gongs, lion's roar, marac, whip)-hp-str(1.1.1.1.1)

Cast

Lear · bass - Goneril · alto - Regan · soprano, high - Cordelia · soprano - Albany, husband of Goneril · baritone, low - Cornwall, husband of Regan · baritone, high - Edgar · baritone, high - Edmund · tenor, high - Gloucester · baritone, low - Oswald · tenor - Servant/Captain/Gentleman · tenor - 2 Nurses · actors - children's (or female) chorus ad lib.

More Information

Title:
Vision of Lear
Opera in 2 acts
Libretto adapted from William Shakespeare by Tadashi Suzuki
Language:
English
Edition:
Performance material
Publisher/Label:
Schott Music Co. Ltd., Tokyo
Year of composition:
1997 - 1998
Duration:
100 ′
World Premiere:
April 19, 1998 · München (D)
Gasteig, Carl-Orff-Saal
Münchener Biennale 1998
Conductor: Georges-Elie Octors · Xsemble München
Original staging: Tadashi Suzuki · Costumes: Tadashi Suzuki · Set desing: Tadashi Suzuki
(scenic) (co-production of the Münchener Biennale and the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center)
Commissioned work :
Commissioned by the City of Munich, Germany, on the occasion of the Münchener Biennale 1998

Technical Details

Product number:
LSJ 2364-01

Performances

Set Ascending Direction
  • Vision of Lear
    Conductor: Kentaro Kawase
    Orchestra: Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra
    February 1, 2015 | Hiroshima (Japan) , Aster Plaza
  • Vision of Lear
    Conductor: Kentaro Kawase
    Orchestra: Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra
    January 30, 2015 | Hiroshima (Japan) , Aster Plaza — First Night
  • Vision of Lear
    Musica nova Helsinki 2003
    March 3, 2003 | Helsinki (Finland) , Kino Engel
  • Vision of Lear
    Conductor: Gregory Rose
    Orchestra: Modern Band
    February 2, 2002 | London (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) , Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House
  • Vision of Lear
    Conductor: Gregory Rose
    Orchestra: Modern Band
    February 1, 2002 | London (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) , Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House
  • Set Ascending Direction

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