The School of Marital Happiness (2019-2020) opera in one act - Vocal Score - PDF
The School of Marital Happiness (2019-2020) opera in one act.
Vocal Score (PDF). Pages: 121.
Alexander Timofeev, composer; Janet Fishman, librettist; story by Alexander Timofeev. Dedicated to Barbara Dever. Voices: Alto, Soprano, Baritone, 4 Sopranos (secondary roles), Women's choir (SA). Duration: 45'.
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Recordings and performances (youtube video links below):
Version for an all-female cast (2019):
- Premiere performance at Kammeroper, Vienna, Austria on June 20-21, 2019 - Vienna Summer Music Festival. Jennifer Davison, stage director; Ian Niederhoffer, conductor.
La Directrice's Aria:
-Performed by Selma Aljovic, mezzo-soprano, at Kammeroper, Vienna, Austria on June 21, 2019 - Vienna Summer Music Festival. Jennifer Davison, stage director; Ian Niederhoffer, conductor.
-Recorded by Barbara Dever, mezzo-soprano, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on December 28, 2022 at Pfleeger Concert Hall, Rowan University.
-Performed by Barbara Dever, mezzo-soprano, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on March 29, 2023, in Boyd Recital Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
Veronica's Aria "I do not know myself":
-Performed by Orianna Gutierrez, soprano, at Kammeroper, Vienna, Austria on June 21, 2019 - Vienna Summer Music Festival. Jennifer Davison, stage director; Ian Niederhoffer, conductor.
-Performed by Shauna Dever, soprano, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on March 29, 2023, in Boyd Recital Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
Veronica's Aria "Jealousy":
-Recorded by Amber Miller, soprano, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on October 16, 2023, at Pfleeger Concert Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
-Performed by Amber Miller, soprano, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on October 25, 2023, in Boyd Recital Hall, Rowan University.
Paul's Aria:
-Recorded by Elem Eley, baritone, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on October 10, 2022 at Pfleeger Concert Hall, Rowan University.
-Performed by Elem Eley, baritone, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on March 29, 2023, in Boyd Recital Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
Pastorale "What a lovely afternoon" (arr. for Soprano, Mezzo, Baritone and Piano (2023):
-Performed by Shauna Dever, soprano, Barbara Dever, mezzo-soprano, Elem Eley, baritone, and Alexander Timofeev, piano, on February 22, 2023, in Boyd Recital Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
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About the Opera:
...The action takes place over one day in The School of Marital Happiness, set in a mansion repurposed as a boarding school for young ladies. The stage shows a large room arranged for the educational purposes of this school. La Directrice, founder of the School of Marital Happiness, has organized her system around “Dancing, Singing, French.” Veronica, at first the star pupil, leads the students in playfully resisting the methods of La Directrice. This rebellion takes a serious turn, when La Directrice enlists an unsuspecting ally, and trips up the very lovers she had intended to instruct. Finally the young lovers overcome these obstacles, with her help, and all upend the system as they discover together what a School of Marital Happiness really means...
Characters:
LA DIRECTRICE ‐ alto - Director and only teacher at The School of Marital Happiness for Young Ladies.
VERONICA ‐ soprano ‐ La Directrice’s star pupil.
PAUL ‐ baritone ‐ Veronica’s fiancé.
Other Students at The School of Marital Happiness:
MARY ‐ (mezzo) soprano ‐ Leader of the Minuet in G episode.
ELIZABETH ‐ soprano ‐ Leader of the Queens of the Night episode, and Paul’s partner in the Flirtation scene.
CLARA ‐ soprano ‐ Leader of the Traviatas episode.
ANN ‐ (mezzo) soprano ‐ Leader of the Walkyries and Marguerites episode,
and Veronica’s confidante.
WOMEN'S CHOIR ‐ sopranos & altos
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Preview video of the Vocal Score + Audio with subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQpravZCqTw
More information about the opera: Spreadsheet & opera webpage.
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All versions of the Opera:
The School of Marital Happiness, a comic opera in one act (2019-2020) (the current page)
The School of Marital Happiness (2019) opera in one act, version for an all-female cast