The Death of Klinghoffer

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DescriptionExcerpt

Adams’s controversial opera, with libretto by Alice Goodman, addresses the 1985 terrorist hijacking of the Achille Lauro ocean liner. Following its 1991, Peter Sellarsdirected premiere, the New York Times said the work “transmutes contemporary history into operatic poetry.”

Description

The CD of this album is available to purchase at ArkivMusic.

Adams’s controversial opera, with libretto by Alice Goodman, addresses the 1985 terrorist hijacking of the Achille Lauro ocean liner. Following its 1991, Peter Sellarsdirected premiere, the New York Times said the work “transmutes contemporary history into operatic poetry.” The Los Angeles Times' Mark Swed calls it "a haunting and meaningful meditation on terrorism, its roots and causes," and The New Statesman says it's "an intense and solemn St. Matthew Passion for the late 20th century."

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
The premiere performances of The Death of Klinghoffer took place at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels (March 19, 1991), the Opéra de Lyon (April 13, 1991), and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (September 5, 1991).
Music by John Adams
Libretto by Alice Goodman
Peter Sellars, director
Kent Nagano, musical director
Mark Morris, choreography
George Tsypin, set design
Dunya Ramicova, costume design
James F. Ingalls, lighting design
Jonathan Deans, sound design
John Boesche, projection design

FIRST RECORDING
Produced by John McClure
Recorded April and July 1991 at Auditorium Maurice Ravel, Lyon, France
Balance Engineer: John Newton
Recording Engineer: Henk Jansen
Recording and Editing Engineer: Everett Porter
Stage Sound Design: Jonathan Deans
Stage Production Sound Engineer: Graham Carmichael
Audio Assistant: Susan Presson
Production Coordinator: Kathryn King

Design by John Heiden
Cover photo by Joel Meyerowitz

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

79281

Number of Discs in Set
2discs
ns_album_artistid
2
ns_album_id
9
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
John Adams
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Cast (in order of appearance):

The Captain: James Maddalena
The First Officer / “Rambo”: Thomas Hammons
Swiss Grandmother / Austrian Woman / British Dancing Girl: Janice Felty
Molqi: Thomas Young
Mamoud: Eugene Perry
Leon Klinghoffer: Sanford Sylvan
Omar: Stephanie Friedman
Marilyn Klinghoffer: Sheila Nadler

Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon
Kent Nagano, musical director and conductor

The London Opera Chorus
Richard Cooke, director

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
Price
0.00
UPC
075597928129BUN
Label
MP3
Price
15.00
UPC
603497121168
  • 79281

Track Listing

News & Reviews

  • “In many ways, John Adams is the quintessential California composer,” Nadia Sirota writes in the introduction to Adams’ audio interview with the California Festival, a statewide initiative showcasing contemporary classical music, including live performances at venues across the state over the past three weeks. Adams, a resident of Northern California since moving there from New England in 1971, talks about his early days in the area and the inspiration behind some of his most influential early works, like Christian Zeal and Activity, Phrygian Gates, Shaker Loops, and Harmonielehre. You can hear what he has to say here.

  • Composer John Adams talks about his acclaimed opera Doctor Atomic and the aria “Batter My Heart” in a new video from Boosey & Hawkes. The opera, with a libretto by Peter Sellars drawn from original sources—including, for this aria, the John Donne sonnet—tells the story of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and the first atomic bomb explosion in New Mexico in July 1945. The video features scenes from the Dutch National Opera production starring Gerald Finley, who originated the role of Oppenheimer in 2005 and can be heard on the Nonesuch first recording of Doctor Atomic, with the composer leading the BBC Singers and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Julia Bullock as Kitty Oppenheimer. You can hear “Batter My Heart” from the recording here as well.

Buy Now

  • About This Album

    The CD of this album is available to purchase at ArkivMusic.

    Adams’s controversial opera, with libretto by Alice Goodman, addresses the 1985 terrorist hijacking of the Achille Lauro ocean liner. Following its 1991, Peter Sellarsdirected premiere, the New York Times said the work “transmutes contemporary history into operatic poetry.” The Los Angeles Times' Mark Swed calls it "a haunting and meaningful meditation on terrorism, its roots and causes," and The New Statesman says it's "an intense and solemn St. Matthew Passion for the late 20th century."

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Cast (in order of appearance):

    The Captain: James Maddalena
    The First Officer / “Rambo”: Thomas Hammons
    Swiss Grandmother / Austrian Woman / British Dancing Girl: Janice Felty
    Molqi: Thomas Young
    Mamoud: Eugene Perry
    Leon Klinghoffer: Sanford Sylvan
    Omar: Stephanie Friedman
    Marilyn Klinghoffer: Sheila Nadler

    Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon
    Kent Nagano, musical director and conductor

    The London Opera Chorus
    Richard Cooke, director

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    The premiere performances of The Death of Klinghoffer took place at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels (March 19, 1991), the Opéra de Lyon (April 13, 1991), and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (September 5, 1991).
    Music by John Adams
    Libretto by Alice Goodman
    Peter Sellars, director
    Kent Nagano, musical director
    Mark Morris, choreography
    George Tsypin, set design
    Dunya Ramicova, costume design
    James F. Ingalls, lighting design
    Jonathan Deans, sound design
    John Boesche, projection design

    FIRST RECORDING
    Produced by John McClure
    Recorded April and July 1991 at Auditorium Maurice Ravel, Lyon, France
    Balance Engineer: John Newton
    Recording Engineer: Henk Jansen
    Recording and Editing Engineer: Everett Porter
    Stage Sound Design: Jonathan Deans
    Stage Production Sound Engineer: Graham Carmichael
    Audio Assistant: Susan Presson
    Production Coordinator: Kathryn King

    Design by John Heiden
    Cover photo by Joel Meyerowitz

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

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