1984 (opera)

1984 is a literary opera in two acts by Lorin Maazel. The libretto by JD McClatchy and Thomas Meehan, based on the novel 1984 by George Orwell.

The premiere took place at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden London on 3 May 2005. Lorin Maazel has conducted itself, the government had Robert Lepage. The playing time of the opera is a good 3 hours.

Place and time of the action

The libretto is a retelling of the novel 1984 is - shortened, as it calls for an opera, but also dangerously simplistic. What remains is the implied story of a regimented, totalitarian society in which the desire for individuality is just as hopeless as the hope for change. The main characters in this dystopia are as in the original book Winston Smith and his secret lover Julia.

Formation

The idea to stage a future novel Orwell as an opera, was from August Ever thing that gave the piece with Maazel for the Munich Prince Regent Theatre in order. After the death of General Director of the Bavarian State Theater in 1999 Maazel presented his work at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, the access in 2000. However, Maazel had to participate with his set up for that purpose production company called Big Brother with 600,000 euros to the cost of production.

Lorin Maazel conducted the performance at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Opera House itself encompasses a variety of musical genres of the national anthem of Oceania to the coffee-house pop and schmaltzy harmonies and pushed the audience to politely restrained response. From professional audience, the work was almost torn. Thus, the NZZ wrote on May 6, 2005: " The ambivalence that some of the figures Orwell characterizes the critical examination of the social movements of the postwar era, the bitterness of the end - like everything under the table. And replaced by a music that does not find its tone. Here and there in the history of opera, it uses; Anthem, fanfare and Autochthonous from America also evokes - but the mixture remains random because the background of the personal signature is missing. That there is an overture and an opening chorus, plus lots of arias and duets that to feelings of emerging love the solo violin climbs into the air, causing the union of man and woman thirds and the violence roaring trombones - it must be said "

From 2 May 2008 to May 17, the opera was performed seven times at La Scala.