(Blossoming) is an opera after the short story '' Die Betrogene'' by

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...

, with music by Vito Žuraj. The

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

was written by

Händl Klaus Handl or Händl is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Irene Handl (1901–1987), English character actress * Jacobus Handl (1550–1591), late-Renaissance composer *Klaus Händl Klaus Händl (born September 17, 1969) is an Au ...

. Commissioned by the

Oper Frankfurt The Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera) is a German opera company based in Frankfurt. Opera in Frankfurt am Main has a long tradition, with many world premieres such as Franz Schreker's ''Der ferne Klang'' in 1912, ''Fennimore and Gerda, Fennimore ...

, the opera was first performed there on 22 January 2023, directed by

Brigitte Fassbaender Brigitte Fassbaender (; born 3 July 1939), is a German mezzo-soprano opera singer and a stage director. From 1999 to 2012 she was Theater manager, intendant (managing director) of the Tyrolean State Theatre in Innsbruck, Austria. She holds the ti ...

and conducted by Michael Wendeberg.

History

Mann completed ''Die Betrogene'', his last short story, in 1953. It was translated as '' The Black Swan''.

wrote the libretto, commissioned by the

. He converted Mann's prose to dialogues in concise language, in seven scenes. The opera was first performed in Frankfurt on 22 January 2023, directed by

in a stage design by Martina Segna with costumes by Anna-Sophie Lienbacher. conducted the

Ensemble Modern Ensemble Modern is an international ensemble dedicated to performing and promoting the music of contemporary composers. Formed in 1980, the group is based in Frankfurt, Germany, and made up variously of about twenty members from numerous countri ...

and a vocal ensemble of 12 soloists.

Roles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bluhen Operas German-language operas English-language operas 2023 operas Operas based on works by Thomas Mann