''Cassandre'' is an opera completed in 1994 by Michael Jarrell to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

in French based on Christa Wolf's novel '' Kassandra'', adapted by Gerhard Wolf and translated by Alain Lance. The ''monodrame pour comédienne, ensemble instrumental et électronique'' is a monodrama set for a woman reciting the text and acting, an instrumental ensemble and electronics. The opera was premiered on 4 February 1994 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and was then given in several languages. It was published by Lemoine in Paris, and recorded.

History

Michael Jarrell received a commission for the opera by the Fondation Pro Helvetia and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. It is based on Christa Wolf's novel '' Kassandra'', which adapted to a

, and Alain Lance translated to French. The novel deals with the Trojan War from Cassandra's perspective. Jarrell worked on the composition in 1993 and 1994. The work is described as ''monodrame pour comédienne, ensemble instrumental et électronique'', with the text spoken by an actress, not sung, and the music played by an instrumental ensemble and electronics. The opera received its world premiere on 4 February 1994 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, with Marthe Keller as the speaker and the Ensemble InterContemporain, conducted by David Robertson, directed by Peter Konwitschny. It was published by Éditions Henry Lemoine in Paris. The duration is given as around one hour. The opera was recorded in 2008 with Astrid Bas and the Ensemble intercontemporain conducted by

Susanna Mälkki Susanna Ulla Marjukka Mälkki (born 13 March 1969) is a Finnish conductor and cellist. Early life and education Susanna Ulla Marjukka Mälkki was born on 13 March 1969 in Helsinki. She began to learn the violin, piano, and cello in her youth ...

. It has been performed also in English, German, Italian and Spanish.

Theme

The priestess Cassandre, who predicted the fall of Troy in the Trojan War, narrates her memories of the events in contemplative monologue. Cassandre laments and revolts, with time returning in loops, and the past becoming present. The episodes "follow one another without transition, attracting and sounding into one another, in a stream of consciousness that reveals the essential".

References

External links

*
''Cassandre'', opéra parlé de Michael Jarrell

Lemanic Modern Ensemble Pierre Bleuse (born 6 November 1977) is a French violinist and conductor. Biography Bleuse was born in Boulogne-Billancourt into a family of musicians: his father Marc Bleuse is a composer, his mother Anne Fondeville is an opera singer, his bro ...

''Cassandre''
with Fanny Ardant, lestheatres.net 2017 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cassandre French-language operas Monodrama Operas 1994 operas Operas based on novels Cassandra Operas based on classical mythology