Adelina the Jester - A new musical production available to be performed in several versions by your group or ensemble.
Unrequited love. Forbidden love. Memories of lost happiness. Ethnic and class tensions. A power-hungry underling who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And on the lighter side: naughty jokes, hypocrisy unveiled, and a disguise that leads to hijinks, all set to a score that combines chatty dialogue, choral commentary, and soaring melodies. You will find all this in Adelina the Jester, a musical event set in 11th-century England.
- Listen to the music
- Read a synopsis of the story
- Find production notes
Listen to a 3 1/2 minute medley from the opera to give you a flavor of the music in Adelina the Jester. See the music page for more!
Medley song segments from: Procession, My Land, Adelina’s Lament, Roger’s Lament, Kiss of Friendship, The Earl needs a Jester.
Adelina was a real person. She is the only woman listed in the Domesday Book (1086 C.E.) as holding the job of court jester. We know very little about her, except that she owned land in her own name and that she plied her trade at the court of Earl Roger de Montgomery, also a historical person and a go-to guy for William the Conqueror. Two remarkable artists combined their talents to bring Adelina to life. Andrew Grainger is the composer, and Katie Bender is the playwright/librettist.
Staging
Adelina the Jester is most fully realized as a full-blown opera with orchestra, medieval ensemble, soloists and chorus. It can also be staged as a chamber oratorio with dancers operating as avatars for the main soloists along with accompaniment from a medieval ensemble. Thirdly, it can be staged as a chamber opera without dancers, and with all the singers acting out their roles on stage.
See the Production page for specific details about all these options.