Author Archives: Mary Huntimer

Doubt now streaming on Great Performances

Douglas J. Cuomo adapted John Patrick Shanley’s 2005 Broadway play, Doubt for the Minnesota Opera New Works. This opera premiered in 2013 and now you can watch this 2019 production, now streaming on Great Performances. Starring Christine Brewer, Adriana Zabala, Matthew Worth and Denyce Graves. Doubt uses the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone. This operaContinue reading “Doubt now streaming on Great Performances”

New Ballets to Check Out

I just finished searching Universal Edition and they have some unique and beloved ballets. Here’s a few highlights. Date: 1921-22 Ballet: Skating Rink, by Arthur Honegger Alto Saxophone Date: 1927 Ballet: Ballet-Music, by Zoltán Kodály Alto Saxophone Date: 1928 Ballet: Baby in der Bar, by Wihelm Grosz Alto/Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor/Baritone Saxophone 1950-54 Ballet:Continue reading “New Ballets to Check Out”

New Ballets in the Database

Here’s some notable ballets added to the database today. See if any of your favorites are in the database. Date: 1936 Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64, by Sergey Prokofiev Tenor Saxophone Date: 1876 Sylvia, by Léo Delibes Alto Saxophone Date: 1983 Ulysses, by John Harbison Soprano Saxophone Date: 1983 Glass Pieces, by Philip Glass 2Continue reading “New Ballets in the Database”

The Opera Database is expanding to include Ballets

Currently, I’m updating the opera database to include ballets that use the saxophone. As I add new works, I’ll highlight some of my findings. Here’s what I found today. Date: 1935 Le Chevalier Errant, by Jacques Ibert Alto Saxophone Date: 1910 La Fête Chez Thérèse, by Reynaldo Hahn Alto Saxophone Date: 1942 Gayaneh, by AramContinue reading “The Opera Database is expanding to include Ballets”

Saxophone Solos in Romantic Operas and Ballets, videos for 3/6/2021 presentation

Hamlet (1868)- Ambroise Thomas The Metropolitan Opera, 2010 Sylvia (1876)- Léo Delibes Opéra National de Paris, 2005 Hérodiade (1881)- Jules Massenet Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), 1984 Werther (1892)- Jules Massenet Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna), 2015 Turandot (1926)- Giacomo Puccini Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, 2015 Teatro Communale Firenze (Florence, Italy) at the Forbidden City of Beijing,Continue reading “Saxophone Solos in Romantic Operas and Ballets, videos for 3/6/2021 presentation”

Nixon in China, streaming March 5-19 on Staatsoper Stuttgart

Tonight, the Staatsoper Stuttgart is streaming their 2019 production of John Adams’ 1987 opera, Nixon in China. You can watch the free stream of the opera by clicking on the link below. This opera will be available to watch from March 5-19. https://www.staatsoper-stuttgart.de/spielplan/a-z/nixon-in-china-online/ This surreal opera is based on Nixon’s 1972 trip to China. It’sContinue reading “Nixon in China, streaming March 5-19 on Staatsoper Stuttgart”

Watch the Joffrey’s Ballet new production of “Boléro”-now streaming through March 2nd

The Joffrey Ballet, located in Chicago, returns to the stage with a new production of Maurice Ravel’s Boléro, now streaming through March 2nd. If you’re new to Boléro, Ravel’s score includes the tenor and soprano saxophone. The tenor saxophone solo starts at the 6:35 mark, followed by the soprano sax solo at the 7:25 minuteContinue reading “Watch the Joffrey’s Ballet new production of “Boléro”-now streaming through March 2nd”

Part 4: Modern productions of Jonny Spielt Auf, the Good, the Bad, and the Cringeworthy

In part 1, I show how blackface is a still a tradition used in modern opera productions. Part 2 covers the minstrel roots of Jonny Spielt Auf. Part 3 covers the Nazi reaction to Jonny Spielt Auf and how it became the face of Entartete Musik (degenerate music). With this problematic background, how modern operaContinue reading “Part 4: Modern productions of Jonny Spielt Auf, the Good, the Bad, and the Cringeworthy”

Part 3: How Jonny Spielt Auf became the face of Entartete Musik (Degenerate Music) in the Third Reich

In Part 2, I covered how Jonny Spielt Auf is directly related to the American Minstrelsy and blackface traditions. But before we can get into the details of Nazi’s reaction to this opera, we have to cover the plot. From the poster and all material, it seems like the opera is centered on Jonny, theContinue reading “Part 3: How Jonny Spielt Auf became the face of Entartete Musik (Degenerate Music) in the Third Reich”