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(Michael Berkeley)
(libretto – David Malouf)
This was the first opera written in 1993 by the
composer Michael Berkeley, who is the son of the composer Lennox Berkeley
and the godson of Benjamin Britten.
The Australian novelist David Malouf wrote the libretto. It is based on the childhood of the
author Rudyard Kipling and uses his autobiographical short story of life in
India as a child, “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, and The Jungle Book as the
influences. The harsh
treatment and the beatings that Kipling received in India and his escape by
writing stories such as The Jungle Book, which has prominent
characters that are animals, are merged together in the libretto and the
child in the opera has been given powers allowing him to gain justice and
revenge. Staged in three acts,
it received its premiere at the Cheltenham Festival in 1993 and after being
critically acclaimed was broadcast by the BBC on TV and radio. A recording has also been made by
the Opera North Chorus and the English Northern Philharmonia and conducted
by Paul Daniel.
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Berkeley
- http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/category/music/composers/berkeley.do
- http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/music/vocalopera/opera/9780193352773.do
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baa_Baa,_Black_Sheep_(short_story)
5.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berkeley-Black-Sheep-Jungle-Tale/dp/B0000251DD/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1203431074&sr=1-12
6.
http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN+10186
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