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New Edition of Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet Performed by Washington Concert Opera

Nov. 01, 2019

New Edition of Ambroise Thomas’s <em>Hamlet</em> Performed by Washington Concert Opera

On November 14, the Washington Concert Opera, led by conductor Antony Walker, performs Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet using Hugh Macdonald‘s new critical edition of the opera published in the Baerenreiter series “L’Opéra français”. Washington Concert Opera's performance features South African baritone Jacques Imbrailo as Hamlet, and mezzo-soprano Eve Gigliotti as Gertrude, Jonas Hacker as Laertes, and acclaimed soprano (and this year’s Richard Tucker Award-Winner), Lisette Oropesa as Ophélie.

Hugh Macdonald’s new critical edition of Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet makes available one of the most highly-regarded French operas in a reliable, scholarly edition; a good reason for a renaissance of the French Shakespeare adaptation. Macdonald explains the inspiration behind the creation of the new edition:

“A new edition of this great opera is timely since all existing scores date back to the 1860s. The printed sources, a full score and a vocal score, do not agree with one another or with the autograph score, and both lack certain scenes, including the alternative ending devised by Thomas to allow Hamlet to die at the final curtain. Thomas's abundant sketches and drafts, as well as the autograph score, divided between the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra, both in Paris, provide further material that has not been available before.” 


Read Hugh Macdonald’s complete article on Hamlet for takte, here.


(Ophelia's Mad Scene from Hamlet/Ambroise Thomas/Sabine Devieilhe, soprano/
Orchestre des Champs-Elysées/Louis Langrée conductor)

To learn more about Ambroise Thomas, visit: baerenreiter.com.

Ambroise Thomas
Hamlet
an opera in five acts
Libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier
Edited by Sarah Plummer-Hanrahan and Hugh Macdonald (2013)
Series „L’Opéra français“
Claudius, King of Denmark (bass), Queen Gertrude (mezzosoprano), Hamlet (baritone), Polonius (bass), Ophélie (soprano), Laertes (tenor), Horatio (bass), Marcellus (tenor), The shadow of the dead king (bass),  1. Gravedigger (tenor), 2. Gravedigger (Baritone), Choir and Ballet
3(pic).2(2eh).2.bcl.asax.barsax.4–4.2 cornets à piston.2.3.bsaxhn–timp.perc–2hp-str; music on stage: fl.cl-hn.6tpt.4tbn-bsaxhn-perc-2hp 

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