Opera with a Prologue and four Acts (First version) / Opera in five Acts (Second version) Dialogue versions. Par GOUNOD CHARLES. Charles Gounod’s “Faust” secured its international recognition in the version as an entirely sung opera, which from thenceforth has largely obscured the fact that the work was originally composed with spoken dialogues. The early versions staged prior to the 1869 performance at the Paris Opéra containing substantial unknown material and with dialogues and melodramas are the subject of this new edition. (The third version “version opera” was published in a separate edition BA 8713 in 2016.) Even as the rehearsals were taking place at the Théâtre-Lyrique in 1858, during the first series of performances at the theatre in 1859, furthermore as the 1862 revival was approaching and during the performances on the smaller stage at the Place du Châtelet, there were constant changes and revisions. It is, thus, impossible to identify manifestly definitive versions. Nevertheless, by drawing on the entire source material now at hand (including fascinating material only recently discovered) and on the whole gamut of aspects communicated by the reception, Paul Prévost systematically presents us with a score laid out in two main versions in whose chronology constancy and change become transparent. With all the musical changes having been documented, the result is a practicable score for performances which reveals a still far too unknown “Faust” – a “Faust” that is rooted in the tradition of the opéra comique. Quite a few musical numbers are published as a score for the first time in this edition: the trio for Faust, Wagner and Siebel “À l’étude ô mon maître”, the duet of Valentin and Marguerite “Adieu, mon bon frère!”, Méphistophélès’ air “Maître Scarabée”, Siebel’s romance “Versez vos chagrins dans mon âme!”, Valentin’s air with chorus “Chaque jour, nouvelle affaire”, the chorus of witches “Un deux et trois”, and also seven melodramas whose missing or incomplete orchestration has been written for our edition. It was only recently that the long-lost second part of Faust’s original cavatina “Salut! demeure chaste et pure” was unearthed. Only in details of orchestration do other numbers differ from the well-known pieces./ Répertoire / Opéra

A chamber opera in one act for soprano tenor baritone and bass soli TTBB chorus and orchestra commissioned for the Wells 800 Celebration in 1982. Libretto by Peter Porter. Vocal score with piano reduction. Duration: c. 55minutes.Orpheus is a Chamber Opera or perhaps more properly might be described as an ‘Opera-Cantata’. It is designed to be performed as a short opera fully staged and costumed or as a concert piece. Either way itsstructure is dramatic rather than reflective. It tells the story of Orpheus probably the most familiar story in music and en emblem of their art for composers of all periods as a direct narrative. Since the legend is set inthe world of pagan mythology it has been lightly Christianised for its Church setting. The Aeneid has often been seen as speaking of Christ avant la lettre and Renaissance Humanists were always willing to identify forerunnersof Christian types in Classical personages: in this manner Orpheus pursues without undue emphasis musical parallels with St Francis St Cecilia and even Adam and Eve.The work is framed briefly by a prologue and epilogue. ThePrologue introduces the four solo singers Hades (bass) Orpheus (tenor) Eurydice (soprano) and Charon (baritone). It also introduces the chorus who do not only portray at various stages Orpheus’s wedding companions thedenizens of Hell and Blessed Spirits in the Elysian Fields but also comments on the action as it proceeds.

Trag?die en un prologue et cinq actes-The first version of ???Dardanus??? which was performed at the end of 1739 was composed apparently in only six months and marks a particularly productive phase in Rameau???s career. In a period of only six years five of his major works were performed at the Acad?mie Royale de Musique in Paris.The theme is taken from Greek mythology: the opera describes the war between Teucer (the future founder of Troy) his Phrygian people and the army of Dardanus.A milestone of French Baroque opera in a performance practice orientated vocal scoreWith a brief foreword (Fr/Eng) containing salient information on the genesis of the work the synopsis and the editionFull score (BA8854) and vocal score (BA8854-90) available for salePerformance material (BA8854-72) available for hire

A ghost story telling of the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in the Hebrides. This is a mystery story in the form of a chamber opera. The prologue is set as a court of enquiry into the unexplaineddisappearance of the three keepers from a lighthouse. Questions are posed by a solo horn which may sound from among the audience and three officers give answer. Gradually they move from straight testimony into fantasticalimaginings of evil during a 'flashback' to the lighthouse; but then we snap back to the courtroom. In the main act the three singers become the vanished keepers. They have been together for months long enough to be fullyaware of each other's weaknesses; petty bickerings suggest a relationship which is stable but liable to become highly unstable at any moment. They sing songs to reduce the tension Blazes beginning with a rough ballad of streetviolence accompanied by violin and banjo. Sandy's song with cello and out-of-tune upright piano is a thinly disguised description of sexual bliss and Arthur's with brass and clarinet is a tub-thumping hymn. But the songsserve only to resurrect in their minds ghosts from the past and as the fog descends each of the keepers becomes convinced that he is being claimed by the Beast. They prepare to meet its dazzling eyes which become the lights ofthe relief vessel and the three men reappear as officers met at the lighthouse only by an infestation of rats. They leave and at the end the last hours of Blazes Sandy and Arthur begin to play over again.Vocal score withpiano reduction of the instrumental score. Duration c. 1h 25mins.

Opera Vocal Score-An opera in a prologue and three acts based on the novel Widows by Ariel Dorfman.

Endelig Version-Antikrist / Antichrist 'Fortabelsen' (final version) - Opera in a prologue and six scenes. Composed 1921-23 BVN 192. Instrumentation: 3S T Bar B soli + mixed choir + 4.3.3.4/4.7.7.1/2 timp/3 perc/org/str.

Monteverdi's opera 'L'Orfeo', based on the legend of Thracian singer Orpheus and his love of Eurydice, is a masterpiece of musical declamation and ornamentation. It was first performed during the 1607 carnevale in the 'Palazzo Ducale' in Mantua.When an edition remains true to its sources, this certainly does not mean that it is not also practical to use, as is demonstrated in this Bärenreiter edition of Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo'. Edited by Rinaldo Alessandrini, the new publication follows the Bärenreiter edition of Monteverdi's 'Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'.Two contemporary prints of 'L'Orfeo' from the years 1609 and 1615 have been passed down to us. Four copies of each of these prints still survive today in public libraries. The later print includes many corrections to the earlier edition and was accordingly used as the primary source for this Bärenreiter edition. However, when solving musical problems the editor frequently follows the more coherent style of the earlier print. The numerous interesting variants, not only between the two editions but also amongst the eight surviving copies, are listed in the critical commentary.This edition of 'L'Orfeo' offers in addition to Monteverdi's somewhat sparse original figures also figures added to the bass line by the editor. The continuo player should, however, feel free to follow his own judgment. The notation has been, when necessary, adapted to suit modern practice, for example with regard to the clefs. The sections that were originally written in 'chiavetta' have been transposed a fifth lower. In the appendix these sections also appear in their original notation in facsimile as well as transposed a fourth lower.- Detailed introduction by the editor (Ital/Eng/Ger) on the work's genesis and performance practice- Comprehensive critical commentary (Eng) in the score- Idiomatic piano reductionEdition no.: BA 8793-90ISMN: 9790006533121Composer / Author: Monteverdi, ClaudioTitle: L'Orfeo Favola in musica in one prologue and five actsDetailed instrumentation: Soprano solo (7), Tenor solo (4), Bass solo (3), Mixed choir: SSATTB, Male choir: TTBBB, OrchestraLibrettist: Striggio, Alessandro (junior)Editor: Alessandrini, RinaldoForeword / Introduction: Alessandrini, RinaldoProduct format: Piano reduction, Urtext editionLanguage(s) of work: ItalianLanguage(s) of text: German, Italian, EnglishPublisher: BärenreiterBinding: PaperbackPrint run: 1st printing 2012Pages / Format: XIV, 143 S. - 27,0 x 19,0 cmWeight: 428 g

The Coronation Of Poppea. An opera in a prologue and three acts. Text by G.F. Busenello music attributed to Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Sacrati. Edited by Alan Curtis and English singing version by Arthur Jacobs.