The Love for Three Oranges
The Love for Three Oranges
This zesty love story is a fairytale about a sweet young prince, cursed by a sour witch and forced to voyage into distant lands in search of three oranges, each of which contains a princess. Will he run out of juice or can he concentrate on his mission to find true love?
100 years after composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote this endlessly inventive opera, best known for its famous “March,” the time is ripe for The Love for Three Oranges to make its Des Moines Metro Opera debut in a refreshing new production by director Chas Rader-Shieber and scenic and costume designer Jacob A. Climer, led by Maestro David Neely.
Want to learn more? Listen to the Oranges episode of DMMO's official OVERTURES Podcast, hosted and produced by Lecturer-in-Residence Joshua Borths. Listen here >
MUSIC BY
Sergei Prokofiev
LIBRETTO BY
Sergei Prokofiev and Vera Janacopoulos
BASED ON
Vsevolod Meyerhold’s adaptation of the play by Carlo Gozzi
PREMIERED
30 December 1921
Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
SUNG IN
English (with English subtitles)
ESTIMATED RUN TIME
2 hours, 15 minutes with one 20-minute intermission
COMPANY PREMIERE
The Artists
Scott Conner
King of Clubs
Christopher Sokolowski
Prince
Michael Porter
Trouffaldino
Alexandra LoBianco
Fata Morgana
Flora Hawk
Ninette
Alexander Birch Elliott
Léandre
Catherine Martin
Clarice
Anthony Reed
Tchélio
Matt Boehler
Cook
Sun-Ly Pierce
Sméraldine
Benjamin Taylor
Pantalon
Ariana Maubach
Linette
Maggie Reneé
Nicolette
José Olivares
Farfarello
Jeremy Harr
Herald
Spencer Lawrence Boyd
Master of Ceremonies
David Neely
Conductor
Michael Sakir
Conductor (July 18)
Chas Rader-Shieber
Director
Jacob A. Climer
Scenic and Costume Designer
Connie Yun
Lighting Designer
Isaac Martin Lerner
Choreographer
The Music
Prokofiev has a style which is readily identifiable yet difficult to describe. It certainly demonstrates some of the base instincts also exhibited by Stravinsky. Although not as bitterly sarcastic as the music of Shostakovich, Prokofiev also used satire in his music. Most of all though, his music seems to obey its own rules which are entirely logical without being overly predictable. It obeyed normal musical conventions, while allowing itself to jump off at tangents from time to time. Prokofiev was a master of the orchestra, and a natural at writing music for drama and dance.
Source: mfiles