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Production Notes

Adelina the Jester can be staged in three different ways with three different musical ensembles:

Note about the audio - These renderings include audio taken from the live performances and as such, have some inherent artifacts.

Opera

Specs:

Four soloists: mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass/baritone, bass.

SATB Chorus: Minimum four voices per part.

Full orchestra 3(pic)222 / 4331 / timp / strings with additional lever harp, lute and baroque guitar (one player), percussion: bass drum and tenor drum (one player), tambourine and shaker (one player)

House and tech crew: lighting designer, sound engineer, projections operator, stage manager. Each organization may have different needs, depending on the venue and personnel resources.

Duration: 90 minutes plus intermission.

Props and costumes for four soloists and twelve chorus members are available for rent. Drawings of the preferred costume styles can be provided.

Staging:

Charts that provide instructions for action, entrances and exits, and lighting cues coordinated with the libretto.

Projections:

Lyrics should be projected either on a screen at the back of the stage or as supertitles; they are available electronically.

At its premiere, as attendees were taking their seats, about 25 images of funny and odd examples of medieval marginalia were projected. These images are available.

Scores are in PDF format. There is a conductors score and a piano/vocal score as well as individual instrumental parts.

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 1
  2. 1. Procession
  3. 2. Prologue - Round and Round
  4. 3. Norman Conquest
  5. 4. Village Introductions
  6. 5. Adelina's Roast
  7. 6. Adelina's Lament
  8. Scene 2
  9. 7. The Earl Needs a Jester
  10. 11. All My Life (Roger's Lament)
  11. Scene 3
  12. Scene 4
  13. Scene 5
  14. 18. My Land
  15. 19B. Kiss of Friendship

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ACT 1

The most complete way to present Adelina the Jester is as a full opera. The music is a mixture of arias and choruses with full orchestral accompaniment contrasted with medieval instrumentation for the recitatives. The medieval elements are also blended with the full orchestra throughout the score to create an exciting and varied soundscape that keeps the medieval feel of the work while infusing it with a grand and uplifting sound.

Here is a selection of recitatives and songs from the show - more to follow.

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 2
  2. 1. Procession
  3. Scene 1
  4. Scene 2
  5. Scene 3
  6. Scene 4
  7. Scene 5
  8. Scene 6

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ACT 2

  • 1. Procession - medieval ensemble and chorus
  • 2. Prologue - chorus and medieval ensemble
  • 3. Norman Conquest - baritone: Andrew Grainger, chorus
  • 4. Village Introductions - chorus soloists and Bethany Ammon - soprano
  • 5. Adelina's Roast - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 6. Adelina's Lament - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 7. The Earl Needs A Jester - Chorus, Bethany Ammon - soprano, Steve Young - baritone

Chamber Opera

Specs:

Four soloists: mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass/baritone, bass.

SATB Chorus minimum 3 voices per part.

Amplified medieval ensemble: lever harp, lute, baroque guitar, recorder, organ, percussion (bass drum, tenor drum, tambourine and shaker).

House and tech crew: lighting designer, sound engineer, projections operator, production manager, stage manager. Each organization may have different needs, depending on the venue and personnel resources.

Duration: 90 minutes plus intermission.

Props and costumes for four soloists, twelve chorus members are available for rent.

Also available are charts that provide instructions for the stage manager and that coordinate dancer entrances, exits, and choreography suggestions with the libretto.

Staging: Charts that provide instructions for action, entrances and exits, and lighting cues coordinated with the libretto.

Projections:

Lyrics should be projected either on a screen at the back of the stage or as supertitles; they are available electronically.

At its premiere, as attendees were taking their seats, about 25 images of funny and odd examples of medieval marginalia were projected. These images are available.

Scores are in PDF format. There is a conductors score and a piano/vocal score as well as individual instrumental parts.

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 1
  2. Scene 1
  3. 1. Procession
  4. 2. Prologue - Round and Round
  5. 3. Norman Conquest
  6. 4. Village Introductions
  7. 5. Adelina's Roast
  8. 6. Adelina's Lament
  9. Scene 1
  10. 7. The Earl Needs a Jester

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ACT 1

Presenting Adelina the Jester as a chamber opera is a smaller version of the full opera production. It uses the same six member medieval ensemble as the chamber oratorio, including the four soloists and chorus. Unlike the original chamber oratorio version, it includes stage action from the singers.

Here is a selection of recitatives and songs from the show - more to follow.

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 2
  2. 1. Procession
  3. Scene 1
  4. Scene 2
  5. Scene 3
  6. Scene 4
  7. Scene 5
  8. Scene 6

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ACT 2

  • 1. Procession - medieval ensemble and chorus
  • 2. Prologue - chorus and medieval ensemble
  • 3. Norman Conquest - baritone: Andrew Grainger, chorus
  • 4. Village Introductions - chorus soloists and Bethany Ammon - soprano
  • 5. Adelina's Roast - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 6. Adelina's Lament - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 7. The Earl Needs A Jester - Chorus, Bethany Ammon - soprano, Steve Young - baritone

Specs:

Four soloists: mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass/baritone, bass.

Four contemporary dancers: three men, one woman.

Amplified medieval ensemble: lever harp, lute, baroque guitar, recorder, organ, percussion (bass drum, tenor drum, tambourine and shaker).

House and tech crew: lighting designer, sound engineer, projections operator, production manager, stage manager. Each organization may have different needs, depending on the venue and personnel resources.

Duration: 90 minutes plus intermission.

Props and costumes for four soloists, twelve chorus members, and four dancers are available for rent or purchase.

Also available are charts that provide instructions for the stage manager and that coordinate dancer entrances, exits, and choreography suggestions with the libretto.

Staging:

At its premiere at Austin Scottish Rite Theater, Inversion Ensemble provided all the singers and the conductor. The chorus was in two rows on the floor down right from the stage. The orchestra was opposite on the floor down left. The soloists were on the stage: Earl Roger de Montgomery and Fitzhugh on the right and Adelina on the left. For Act II, King William II joined the other men on stage. All the singers had tablets on stands before them. The dancers performed in the space between the group of men and Adelina. The lyrics were projected on a screen at the back of the stage and above the dancers.

Projections:

Lyrics should be projected either on a screen at the back of the stage or as supertitles; they are available electronically.

At its premiere, as attendees were taking their seats, about 25 images of funny and odd examples of medieval marginalia were projected. These images are available.

Scores are in PDF format. There is a conductors score and a piano/vocal score as well as individual instrumental parts.

Chamber Oratorio

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 1
  2. Scene 1
  3. 1. Procession
  4. 2. Prologue - Round and Round
  5. 3. Norman Conquest
  6. 4. Village Introductions
  7. 5. Adelina's Roast
  8. 6. Adelina's Lament
  9. Scene 2
  10. 7. The Earl Needs a Jester

Your web browser does not support HTML5 audio. Please update to a newer web browser.

ACT 1

Presenting Adelina the Jester as a chamber oratorio was the original format for the premieres of this work. It requires no stage action except for the four dancers who act as avatars for the four soloists.

Here is a selection of recitatives and songs from the show - more to follow.

00:00
00:00
  1. ACT 2
  2. 1. Procession
  3. Scene 1
  4. Scene 2
  5. Scene 3
  6. Scene 4
  7. Scene 5
  8. Scene 6

Your web browser does not support HTML5 audio. Please update to a newer web browser.

ACT 2

  • 1. Procession - medieval ensemble and chorus
  • 2. Prologue - chorus and medieval ensemble
  • 3. Norman Conquest - baritone: Andrew Grainger, chorus
  • 4. Village Introductions - chorus soloists and Bethany Ammon - soprano
  • 5. Adelina's Roast - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 6. Adelina's Lament - Bethany Ammon - soprano, chorus
  • 7. The Earl Needs A Jester - Chorus, Bethany Ammon - soprano, Steve Young - baritone
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