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Lee Hoiby's The Scarf in Chelsea Opera Production; World Premiere of Jacob's Ladder In New York

Nov. 01, 2008

This month Chelsea Opera of New York presents Lee Hoiby's The Scarf conducted by Carmine Aufiero and directed by Chelsea Opera co-founder Lynne Hayden-Findlay. Based on Anton Chekhov's short story The Witch, The Scarf, a one-act opera, was premiered at the first Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy in 1957 and produced at New York City Opera the very next season. It tells the story of Miriam, whose red scarf spurs a supernatural love triangle that results in a "chilling, moody, and macabre" conclusion, "conjuring up images of ... Alfred Hitchcock films of the 1950s," writes Elise Kuhl Kirk in her book American Opera. The Chelsea Opera production is paired with William Walton's The Bear, also based on a short story by Chekhov. Chelsea Opera presents three performances of The Scarf at St. Peter's Church in Chelsea on November 7 and 8 at 7:30 PM, and November 9 at 3:30 PM.

Also this month Hoiby's work for chorus, organ and brass quintet Jacob's Ladder sees its world premiere in Manhattan's Cathedral of St. John the Divine on November 30. Composed for the re-dedication of the cathedral, the work is presented to the cathedral by the Layman's Club of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in celebration of their centennial and is conducted by Bruce Neswick.

For more information on the music of Lee Hoiby, visit www.schott-music.com and www.leehoiby.com.

More information on Chelsea Opera can be found at www.chelseaopera.org.

Lee Hoiby
The Scarf (1957)
libretto (En) by Harry Duncan
based on the short story The Witch by Anton Chekhov
for soprano, tenor and baritone
1111-1110-timp.perc-pno.cel-str
ca. 45'

Jacob's Ladder (2008)
for chorus, organ and brass quintet
ca. 10'

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