Amy Beach - Cabildo (An Opera Premiere and Six Short Pieces)

Cabildo

Composed by: Amy Beach

Carter Brey, cello

Paul Groves, tenor

Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano

Lauren Flanigan,

Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor

Ransom Wilson, flute

Mark Peskanov, violin

Christopher O'Riley, piano

Stephen Mo Hanan, narrator

Eugene Perry, baritone

Thomas Paul, bass

"Cabildo" is the only opera by the American composer Amy Beach, her opus 149. This chamber opera is in one act and has a libretto by Nan Bagby Stephens. Beach composed the music in 1932 and made use of folksong and Creole tunes. However, the work was not performed in her lifetime and received its first performance in 1947. Subsequent performances were in 1981, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and in 1982, at the American Musicological Society meeting and the Sonneck Society. The first fully professional production was on May 13, 1995, as part of the "Great Performers at Lincoln Center" series, led by Ransom Wilson and directed by Hans Nieuwenhuis.

The Texas premiere of "Cabildo" was performed by Houston's Opera Vista on September 22, 2007 at the Museum of Fine Arts' Bayou Bend, conducted by Opera Vista's Artistic Director, Viswa Subbaraman and stage directed by Chuck Winkler. This performance led to Opera Vista being invited to perform "Cabildo" at the actual Cabildo in New Orleans on April 18, 2009. The performance was again conducted by Viswa Subbaraman with stage direction by Joe Carl White. wiki

1.Prologue: Introduction
2.Ladies and Gentleman! This way, This way — (Barker, Chorus, Mary, Tom)
3.One night, as they joined in the dance (Barker, Mary, Chorus, Tom)
4.Ladies and gentlemen! We will now proceed to the grand staircase (Barker, Mary, Tom, Prisoners, Pierre)
5.Largo espressivo
6.Dominique! (Pierre, Gaoler, Dominique)
7.Dominique! What news? (Pierre, Dominique)
8.When she danced with the Governor (Dominique, Pierre)
9.She was like a flower — (Pierre, Dominique, Gaoler, Valerie)
10.Largo con dolora
11.Thy boat Pierre - The Black Petral! (Valerie, Pierre)
12.Ah, Love is a jasmine vine with tendrils delicate and strong (Valerie, Pierre) - Epilogue: Mary! Come along, Darling! (Tom, Mary)
13.Tempo di Duetto

14.Hermit Thrush at Eve, Op. 92, No. 1 - 05:14
Christopher O'Riley, piano

15.Give me not love - 05:13
Paul Groves, tenor
Lauren Flanigan,
Christopher O'Riley, piano

16.In the Twilight, Op. 85 - 03:27
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano
Katherine Kelton, mezzo-soprano
Catherine Bringerud, piano
Christopher O'Riley, piano

17.3 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 37: No. 1. O mistress mine - 02:43
Paul Groves, tenor
Christopher O'Riley, piano

18.3 Songs, Op. 11: No. 1. Dark is the night - 01:31
Lauren Flanigan,
Christopher O'Riley, piano

19.4 Songs, Op. 1: No. 3. Jeune fille et jeune fleur - 04:20
Christopher O'Riley, piano
Thomas Paul, bass

Composed by: Amy Beach
Carter Brey, cello
Paul Groves, tenor
Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano
Lauren Flanigan,
Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor
Ransom Wilson, flute
Mark Peskanov, violin
Christopher O'Riley, piano
Stephen Mo Hanan, narrator
Eugene Perry, baritone
Thomas Paul, bass

Recorded May 15, 1995 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, NYC