Composer

:

Roberto Gerhard

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Average_duration

:

148:19

The Duenna is an opera composed by Roberto Gerhard, with a libretto by James Agate. The opera was composed between 1945 and 1947, and premiered on July 21, 1950, at the Cambridge Arts Theatre in England. The opera is in three acts and is set in 18th-century Spain. The plot of The Duenna revolves around the love story of Louisa and Antonio. Louisa is in love with Antonio, but her father, Don Jerome, wants her to marry the wealthy but dull Isaac Mendoza. Don Jerome hires a duenna, or chaperone, to watch over Louisa and prevent her from seeing Antonio. However, the duenna is secretly in love with Antonio herself and helps Louisa and Antonio to be together. The music of The Duenna is characterized by its use of Spanish folk melodies and rhythms, as well as Gerhard's modernist compositional techniques. The opera features a large orchestra, including a guitar and castanets, and the vocal writing is virtuosic and demanding. The premiere of The Duenna was met with mixed reviews, with some critics praising the music and others finding it too modern and difficult to follow. However, the opera has since become recognized as an important work in the canon of 20th-century opera, and has been performed in various productions around the world. The movements of The Duenna are as follows: Act I - Introduction - Scene 1: Don Jerome's house - Scene 2: A street in Seville - Scene 3: A room in Don Jerome's house - Scene 4: A street in Seville - Scene 5: A room in Don Jerome's house Act II - Scene 1: A street in Seville - Scene 2: A room in Don Jerome's house - Scene 3: A street in Seville - Scene 4: A room in Don Jerome's house Act III - Scene 1: A street in Seville - Scene 2: A room in Don Jerome's house - Scene 3: A street in Seville - Scene 4: A room in Don Jerome's house - Finale Overall, The Duenna is a complex and challenging work that combines traditional Spanish music with modernist compositional techniques. Its story of love and deception in 18th-century Spain remains relevant and engaging to modern audiences.

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