Alice's Adventures Under Ground

Opera

Libretto prepared by the composer based on the texts by Lewis Carroll

Edition: Performance material

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Description

Gerald Barry’s opera is based on Lewis Carroll’s two beloved books, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. As with Barry’s last opera, the lauded The Importance of Being Earnest, the composer has created the libretto himself from the author’s original texts. Thus, the work remains faithful to many aspects of the Alice story but is trimmed and compressed into a compact 70-minute opera in one act. Barry’s characteristic highspeed energy and riotous sense of humour propel the action forward in this surreal plunge into the depths of Wonderland.

Orchestral Cast

2(1.pic, 2.pic & afl).2(2.ca)1.bcl.2(2.cbsn)-2.2.1.1-timp-3perc(chimes, mar, b.d., 2 windmachines)-str(8.6.4.4.2 minimum)

Cast

Alice · soprano - The Red Queen/The Queen of Hearts/The Duchess/The Mock Turtle/Passenger 1/Oyster 1 · mezzo soprano - The White Queen/Dormouse/Tiger Lilly/The Mock Turtle/The Cook/Passenger 2/Oyster 2 · alto - The White King/The White Rabbit/The Mad Hatter/Tweedledum/Frog Footman/Fawn/Bottle 1/Cake 2/Baby 1/Passenger 3/Daisy 1 · tenor - The March Hare/Tweedledee/Fish Footman/Guard/Messenger/Bottle 2/Cake 1/Baby 2/Passenger 4/Daisy 2 · tenor - The White Knight/The Cheshire Cat/Soldier/Bottle 3/Cake 3/Baby 3/Oyster 3/Passenger 5/Daisy 3 · baritone - Humpty Dumpty/The King of Hearts/The Red Knight/Bottle 4/Cake 4/Baby 4/Oyster 4/Passenger 6/Daisy 4 · bass

More Information

Title:

Alice's Adventures Under Ground

Opera

Libretto prepared by the composer based on the texts by Lewis Carroll

Language:

French, German, Russian, English

Edition:

Performance material

Publisher/Label:

Schott Music Ltd., London

Year of composition:

2013 - 2015

Duration:

50 ′

World Premiere:

November 22, 2016 · Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Barbara Hannigan, Alice; Hilary Summers, White Queen; Peter Tantsits; The March Hare; Allison Cook, Red Queen; Allan Clayton, The White King; Mark Stone, White Knight; Joshua Bloom, Red Knight · Conductor: Thomas Adès · LA Phil New Music Group

(concert)

February 3, 2020 · London (UK)
Royal Opera House
Jennifer France, Alice; Allison Cook, Red Queen/Queen of Hearts; Carole Wilson, White Queen/Dormouse; Nicky Spence, White King/Mad Hatter; Robert Murray, March Hare/Tweedledee; Stephen Richardson, White Knight/Cheshire Cat; Alan Ewing, Red Knight/Humpty Dumpty · Conductor: Thomas Adès · Royal Opera House Orchestra · Royal Opera House Chorus
Original staging: Antony McDonald · Costumes: Antony McDonald · Set design: Antony McDonald · Choreography: Lucy Burge
(scenic)

Commissioned work :

Commissioned by Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Gustavo Dudamel, Music Director, The Barbican Centre, London and Britten Sinfonia