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Wolfgang Rihm’s Proserpina in US Premiere at Spoleto Festival USA

May. 04, 2010

The Spoleto Festival USA presents the US premiere of Wolfgang Rihm's lauded monodrama Proserpina on Sunday, May 30. Composed for the Schwetzinger Festspiele and scored for soprano, female choir and small orchestra, Proserpina debuted in Spring of 2009 and received the award for Best Opera Premiere of the Year by Opernwelt magazine. The magazine writes, "Rihm immerses the Goddess' monologue in exquisite and luxurious music."

A musical setting of Goethe's dramatic poem in which the Roman goddess Proserpina is abducted by the God of the underworld, Proserpina laments her futility to the chorus of the fates in an exchange of enticingly beautiful and haunting music. Soprano Heather Buck portrays Proserpina and the creative team is led by conductor John Kennedy and director Ken Rus Schmoll.

On Saturday, May 29, in a prelude to the opera festivities, John Kennedy leads a performance of selections from Rihm's Chiffre-Zyklus on the Spoleto Festival's Music in Time contemporary music series.

Learn more on Wolfgang Rihm at www.universaledition.com.

For more information on the Spoleto Festival USA, visit www.spoletousa.org.

Wolfgang Rihm
Proserpina (2008)
a monodrama
libretto (Ger) based on the poem by Goethe
for soprano, choir and chamber orchestra
1.1(ca). 2(2.bcl).1(cbsn)-2.0.0.0-vib-perc-hp-str
off stage ensemble: piccolo; trumpet; bass tuba
75'

Chiffre-Zyklus (1982-1988)
1.1.1.1-1.2.1.0-2perc.pno.btpt.2vn.va.2vc db
75'

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