Anna Nicole
| Mark-Anthony Turnage |
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Operas
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Anna Nicole is an opera in 2 acts by Mark-Anthony Turnage to an English libretto by Richard Thomas. It premiered on 17 February 2011 at the Royal Opera House, London, directed by Richard Jones.[1] The story is based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith. A recording of the opera was broadcast on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on 25 March 2011.[2] The broadcast drew in 67,700 viewers.[3] A special introduction and intermission was filmed - hosted by Clemency Burton-Hill. [1][4][5][6]
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[edit] Reception
New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini described Anna Nicole as "a weirdly inspired work . . . engrossing, outrageous, entertaining and, ultimately, deeply moving." He characterized the libretto as "clever, literate and perceptive" and found the score to be "pulsing, wild and, when called for, yearning. Tommasini praised the initial production as "a musically rich, audacious and inexplicably poignant work."[7]
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 17 February 2011 Conductor: Antonio Pappano |
|---|---|---|
| Anna Nicole | soprano | Eva-Maria Westbroek |
| Virgie, her mother | mezzo-soprano | Susan Bickley |
| Daddy Hogan, her father | bass | Jeremy White |
| Billy, her first husband | baritone | Grant Doyle |
| J. Howard Marshall, her second husband | tenor | Alan Oke |
| Kay, her aunt | mezzo-soprano | Rebecca de Pont Davies |
| Shelley, her cousin | mezzo-soprano | Loré Lixenberg |
| Stern, her lawyer | bass-baritone | Gerald Finley |
| Young Daniel, her son | silent | Andrew Gilbert |
| Teenage Daniel | baritone | Dominic Rowntree |
| Larry King, a television journalist | tenor | Peter Hoare |
| Blossom | mezzo-soprano | Allison Cook |
| Doctor Yes | tenor | Andrew Rees |
| Mayor of Mexia | tenor | Wynne Evans |
| Deputy Mayor of Mexia (Roy Fiction) | baritone | Damian Thantrey |
| Trucker | tenor | Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts |
| Dominic Gent | tenor | Dominic Peckham |
| Patron | baritone | Grant Doyle |
| Runner | baritone | ZhengZhong Zhou |
| Meat Rack Quartet | soprano soprano mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano |
Marianne Cotterill Kiera Lyness Louise Armit Andrea Hazell |
| Marshall's family | mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano baritone bass |
Loré Lixenberg Rebecca de Pont Davies Grant Doyle Jeremy White |
| Four Lap Dancers | soprano soprano mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano |
Yvonne Barclay Katy Batho Amy Catt Amanda Floyd |
| Onstage Band | John Parricelli (guitarist) John Paul Jones (bass guitarist) Peter Erskine (drummer) |
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Anna Nicole Smith opera opens in London". BBC News. 18 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12505526. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
- ^ "Anna Nicole from the Royal Opera House". BBC Website. 25 March 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zpdyb. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
- ^ "BBC4's Anna Nicole opera draws 70,000". Broadcast Now. 28 March 2011. http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/ratings/bbc4s-anna-nicole-opera-draws-70000/5025416.article. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
- ^ Premiere details at the Royal Opera House.
- ^ "Apart from that, Anna Nicole, did you enjoy the show?" by Norman Lebrecht (18 February 2011)
- ^ "Anna Nicole, the opera by Anne Midgette, The Washington Post (17 February 2011)
- ^ Va-Va-Voom Goes the Soprano New York Times, February 17, 2011 (print edition February 19, p.C1/C5)
[edit] External links
- "A Tabloid Star Is Joining the Sisterhood of the Fallen" by Michael White, The New York Times (11 February 2011)
- Anna Nicole trailer on YouTube
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