New Year (opera)

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New Year is an opera in three acts by Michael Tippett, who wrote his own libretto as well as the music. The opera was first performed by Houston Grand Opera in October 1989, in a production by Peter Hall.^[1] The first UK production was at Glyndebourne, and subsequently Glyndebourne Touring Opera presented an adapted version of Peter Hall's production.^[2] ^[3] As with Tippett's other operas, the text and music encompass a widely eclectic range of cultural references.^[4] ^[5] Tippett himself has noted that the "primary metaphor" of the opera is dance.^[5]

1 Roles
2 Synopsis
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Roles

Character

Jo Ann, "a trainee children's doctor"

Donny, "her young brother"

Nan, "their foster mother"

Merlin, "the computer wizard"

Pelegrin, "the space pilot"

Regan, "their boss"

The Presenter

Voice part (composer's descriptions)

lyric soprano

light baritone

dramatic mezzo-soprano

dramatic baritone

lyric tenor

dramatic soprano

microphoned male singer

Original cast

Helen Field

Krister St. Hill

Jane Shaulis

James Maddalena

Peter Kazaras

Richetta Manager

John Schiappa

[edit] Synopsis

The story of the opera moves between two worlds, of "Somewhere and Today" and "Nowhere and Tomorrow".

Jo Ann is a child psychologist who wants to work with young victims of the urban conflict going on in "Terror Town" outside of her domicile. However, she is so afraid of Terror Town that she does not venture out of the apartment. Her Rastafarian foster brother Donny is generally delinquent in his behaviour towards her and their mutual foster mother, Nan. Out of nowhere, a spaceship emerges, carrying Merlin, a "computer wizard", and the pilot Pelegrin, under the leadership of Regan. These are time travelers from the future, and the ship makes a connection with Jo Ann's apartment.

Act II is centered at a New Year's festivity. A shaman, in a trance, induces the crowd of revellers to pummel Donny as part of the celebration. The space ship arrives and Merlin asserts his authority over the activities. Jo Ann and Pelegrin do meet, but they are separated when the spaceship leaves the scene. Jo Ann saves Donny from the beating crowd, and the Act II ends to the sounds of the traditional song Auld Lang Syne.

In Act III, Pelegrin presents Jo Ann with a symbolic rose, as a symbol of their love. She loses the rose, but he recovers it. Jo Ann is finally cured of her fears and can go out again into the world outside of her home. The Presenter summarizes the final message as: "One humanity, one justice".

[edit] References

^ Donal Henehan, "Time Traveling and Agoraphobia in Tippett Opera". New York Times, 30 October 1989.
^ Lewis, Geraint, "New Year Is Here" (July 1990). The Musical Times, 131 (1769): pp. 355-357.
^ David Allenby, "First Performances: Tippett's New Year. Tempo (New Ser.), 175, 35-36 (1990).
^ David Clarke, Review of piano score of "New Year: An Opera in Three Acts". Music & Letters, 71(3), 468-472 (1990).
^ ^a ^b Lewis, Geraint New Year in the New World (November 1989). The Musical Times, 130 (1761): pp. 665-669.