''Mae Naak'' is a 2003
opera composed by Thai composer
Somtow Sucharitkul
S. P. Somtow (a rearrangement of his real name Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul; th, สมเถา สุจริตกุล; ; born 30 December 1952) is a Thai-American musical composer. He is also a science fiction, fantasy, and horror autho ...
to an English
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 ...
based on one of Thailand's best known ghost stories ''
Mae Nak Phra Khanong
Mae Nak Phra Khanong ( th, แม่นากพระโขนง, meaning 'Lady Nak of Phra Khanong'), or simply Mae Nak ( th, แม่นาก, 'Lady Nak') or Nang Nak ( th, นางนาก, 'Miss Nak'), is a well-known Thai ghost. Acc ...
''. The story is also the basis for
Nonzee Nimibutr
Nonzee Nimibutr ( th, นนทรีย์ นิมิบุตร, ; born in 1962 in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand) is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. Best known for his ghost thriller, ''Nang Nak'', he is generally credit ...
's popular film ''
Nang Nak
''Nang Nak'' ( th, นางนาก) is a 1999 Thai supernatural horror film based on the Thai legend of Mae Nak Phra Khanong. It was directed by Nonzee Nimibutr and released in 1999 by Buddy Film and Video Production Co. in Thailand. It depi ...
''.
The opera's title role was created by Hong Kong born soprano
Nancy Yuen who reprised the role in a 2005 production at the Thailand Cultural Center, Seoul born baritone
Kyu Won Han
Kyu-Won Han is a Korean-American baritone who has had an active international opera career for the last two decades.
Life and career
Kyu-Won Han was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1972.
After receiving his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees fr ...
as Maak, directed by
Henry Akina, artistic director of the
Hawaii Opera Theatre. Both productions were designed by prominent Thai avant-garde artist
Sumet Jumsai
Sumet Jumsai na Ayudhya () (born 1939 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai architect.Kultermann, Udo"Architecture in South-East Asia: Thailand". ''MIMAR: Architecture in Development'' 20 (1986): 52–29. Singapore: Concept Media Ltd. He was named a Na ...
.
The opera's London premiere was on September 15, 2011, at the
Bloomsbury Theatre
The Bloomsbury Theatre is a theatre on Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden, owned by University College London. The Theatre has a seating capacity of 547 and offers a professional programme of innovative music, drama, come ...
in London. Nancy Yuen again reprised the role. The 2003 production was revived by Stefan Sanchez and the opera was conducted by
Trisdee na Patalung
Trisdee na Patalung ( th, ทฤษฎี ณ พัทลุง; ; born 9 March 1986) is a Thai composer and conductor. He is the Music Director of the Bangkok Baroque Ensemble and the Resident Conductor of the Orpheus Choir of Bangkok.
Na Pata ...
.
[http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/33561/mae-naak ]
Sources
*''Mae Naak'': Review by Ken Smith in Opera Magazine, January 2006
External links
Bangkok Opera
Operas
2003 operas
Operas by Somtow Sucharitkul
Mae Nak Phra Khanong
English-language operas
{{English-opera-stub