The Canterville Ghost (Knaifel opera)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/Knaifel_1982_Sortavala_Meladina.jpg/200px-Knaifel_1982_Sortavala_Meladina.jpg)
- To be distinguished from the Russian rock-opera by Valentin Dubovskoy
The Canterville Ghost (also The Ghost of Canterville, Russian: Кантервильское привидение – Kantervíl’skoye privedénie, however usually spelt as Кентервильское привидение – Kentervíl’skoye prividénie; French: Le fantôme de Canterville, German: Das Gespenst von Canterville), an opera by the Russian composer Alexander Knaifel (Russian: Кнайфель) in three acts for 18 singers and chamber orchestra, also in an abridged version for two soloists and chamber orchestra.[1]
The opera was composed in 1965–66 to the libretto by Tatiana Kramarova after the 1887 short story "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde. Text Russian (translated into English by V. Paperno. Dedicated to Rein Laul.
Also: Romantic Scenes from the Opera – in seven scenes with prologue for basso profondo and light soprano with chamber orchestra (shorter version). Duration: 90 minutes.
Cast, Orchestra[]
Shorter version:
- Solo Voices: bass, soprano
- Orchestra: flute, oboe, 2 clarinets (piccolo and bass), contrabassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, timpani, 4 percussion (tubular bells, glockenspiel, xylophone, flexatone), piano/celesta, organ (may be on tape), 5 strings (1.1.1.1.1).
The score is printed by Sovetsky Kompozitor, Leningrad 1977
Full version:
- Singers: 6 sopranos, 2 boy sopranos, 4 mezzo-sopranos, alto, 2 tenors, 2 baritones, bass
- Orchestra: flute, oboe, 2 clarinets (piccolo and bass), contrabassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (5 players, instruments include tubular bells, glockenspiel, xylophone and flexatone), piano/celesta, organ (may be on tape), 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass.
Premiere[]
- a) February 26, 1974 (with the subsequent performances on November 30, and December 15, 1974) in Leningrad, the House of Composers. Chamber Orchestra of Conservatoire, conductor L.Gelgrud.
- b) March 3 and 4 1980 in London, BBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
Recordings[]
- The Canterville Ghost - Operatic scenes inspired by Oscar Wilde (shorter version, 50 minutes) Recorded 1990. The Moscow Theater "Forum" Orchestra, Stanislav Suleymanov (bass), Tatiana Monogarova (soprano), Alexander Levental (organ), conductor Michail Jurowski. Issued on CD: Harmonia Mundi Saison Russe / Le Chant du monde 1991; reissued Brilliant Classics 2012.
References[]
- ^ Underground music from the former USSR - Page 177 1997 "It was the opera The Canterville Ghost after Oscar Wilde (there is also its abridged version for two soloists and chamber orchestra). This opera still promising to become truly popular some day abounds in humor and youthful ardor, telling the "
External links[]
- Das Gespenst von Canterville on Hans Sikorski music publishers
- Russian-language operas
- Operas
- 1966 operas
- 1966 in the Soviet Union
- Music for orchestra and organ
- Chamber operas
- Operas based on works by Oscar Wilde