Paul's Case by Gregory Spears Now Available From PSNY!

by Ted Gordon on July 8, 2013, 11:33 a.m.

Paul's Case, a 1905 short story by Willa Cather, examines the life of an unsatisfied Pittsburgh dandy who longs for a life of the theater, music, and luxury-- a longing which will eventually destroy him. Cather's story, a rumination on desire, love, and self-expression, has been adapted to the world of Opera-- the very world which Paul loved so dearly. Composer Gregory Spears and co-librettist Kathryn Walat have created this new work, developed by American Opera Projects, which recently had its World Premiere at UrbanArias. It is scored for 7 singers, 2 clarinets, harp, piano, and string quartet. Scenes from that production can be seen below:

We are delighted to announce that Paul's Case is now available from PSNY, both as a vocal score for purchase and for full performance licensing. In addition to the full score, several arias from the opera are available as individual titles: "The English Teacher's Aria," "The Gauntlet's Been Thrown," and "The Red Carnation."

Paul's Case will see two new productions in the 2013-2014 season in New York and in Pittsburgh, the two locations in which the opera takes place. In January 2014, Prototype, a new festival for contemporary opera in New York, will produce Paul's Case, conducted by Robert Wood and directed by Kevin Newbury. For more information on this production, visit Prototype's website. And in February-March 2014, Pittsburgh Opera will also produce Paul's Case, to be directed by Paul Cederquist, their Resident Artist Stage Director. This production is part of Pittsburgh Opera's Second Stage Project, which features performances by their resident artists. With three new productions within the space of a year, Paul's Case is quickly becoming a celebrated work in the world of new opera-- and now, everyone has access to both the score and several of its key arias. Keep an eye out for this work in the future!