Complete Works: Opera/Music Theatre
Bird of Night
2003
Libretto and Music: Dominique Le Gendre
Adapted from the tale," L'oiseau de nuit" in the collection "Contes et légendes des Antilles" edited by Thérèse Georgel
First commissioned by Nitro/ROH2
Première at Linbury Theare, ROH, Covent Garden, October 2003
Duration: 15 minutes
Instrumentation
Wind: Flute doubling with Bass flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn in F, Harp
Percussion 1: vibraphone (bowed), Bamboos, Snare drum with sticks and brushes, Djembe, Rainstick, 3 tomtoms (high, medium and low approx. 5th apart) Maracas, Bass Surdu drum, Cymbals, Thick bamboos held upright and struck on floor, sticks on wooden floor
Percussion 2: suspended cymbal (sometimes bowed), Timps (5 drums), Bamboos, Snare Drum (with sticks and brushes) Shekere, Surdu, Marker Tree, Bell tree, 3 tom-toms (high medium and low, approx. a 5th apart), Maracas (wooden and metal tubular) Moroccan Duf, Triangle, Karkabous, Whip, Bamboos (held upright and struck on floor) Djembe, Vibraphone (sometimes bowed) Chimes (bell plates)
Strings: Violin(6), viola (4), Cello (4), Bass (3)
Vocal distribution
Apolline: Lyric Soprano
Nen-Nen: Mezzo-Soprano
Narrator 1: Tenor
Narrator 2: Baritone
SATB Chorus
Adapted from the tale," L'oiseau de nuit" in the collection "Contes et légendes des Antilles" edited by Thérèse Georgel
First commissioned by Nitro/ROH2
Première at Linbury Theare, ROH, Covent Garden, October 2003
Duration: 15 minutes
Instrumentation
Wind: Flute doubling with Bass flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn in F, Harp
Percussion 1: vibraphone (bowed), Bamboos, Snare drum with sticks and brushes, Djembe, Rainstick, 3 tomtoms (high, medium and low approx. 5th apart) Maracas, Bass Surdu drum, Cymbals, Thick bamboos held upright and struck on floor, sticks on wooden floor
Percussion 2: suspended cymbal (sometimes bowed), Timps (5 drums), Bamboos, Snare Drum (with sticks and brushes) Shekere, Surdu, Marker Tree, Bell tree, 3 tom-toms (high medium and low, approx. a 5th apart), Maracas (wooden and metal tubular) Moroccan Duf, Triangle, Karkabous, Whip, Bamboos (held upright and struck on floor) Djembe, Vibraphone (sometimes bowed) Chimes (bell plates)
Strings: Violin(6), viola (4), Cello (4), Bass (3)
Vocal distribution
Apolline: Lyric Soprano
Nen-Nen: Mezzo-Soprano
Narrator 1: Tenor
Narrator 2: Baritone
SATB Chorus
2006
Libretto: Dominique Le Gendre and Paul Bentley. Music: Dominique Le Gendre.
First Commissioned by the Royal Opera House
Première at Linbury Theatre, ROH, October 2006. Director: Irina Brown.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Instrumentation
Same as above
Vocal distribution
Apolline: Lyric Soprano
Justine: Lyric Soprano
Nen-Nen: Mezzo-Soprano
Desirée: Alto or low Mezzo-Soprano
Diego: Tenor
‘Ti-Jo: High Baritone
Narrator 1: Tenor
Narrator 2: Baritone
SATB chorus
Listen
First Commissioned by the Royal Opera House
Première at Linbury Theatre, ROH, October 2006. Director: Irina Brown.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Instrumentation
Same as above
Vocal distribution
Apolline: Lyric Soprano
Justine: Lyric Soprano
Nen-Nen: Mezzo-Soprano
Desirée: Alto or low Mezzo-Soprano
Diego: Tenor
‘Ti-Jo: High Baritone
Narrator 1: Tenor
Narrator 2: Baritone
SATB chorus
Listen