Product Description
The Discontented Housewife PIANO VOCAL SCORE A Comic Opera in One Ridiculously Short Act Music and Libretto by
James Nathaniel Holland
Composer Website: https://www.facebook.com/jamesnathanielholland/
YouTube presentation of entire opera with singers and piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAGjuXCvwzE (Duration: 30')
In Czech, fully realized production: https://youtu.be/raDiBJAaM_0?si=Yzim2ifUyviLoKRD
Twenty some odd years before the Desperate Housewives phenomenon there was a discontented housewife named Margaret. Sung here by Colleen McGrath and Dennis Jesse as her husband Harold. Synopsis: "This is the interesting story of Margaret." So begins the screwball one-act chamber opera about an emotionally abused housewife, and the extent she goes to change the situation life has dealt her. Not even the pianist is allowed to sit by and idly accompany Margaret's journey into self-empowerment. Is it a battle between the sexes? Certainly not. It's more like power, domination and the pure thrill of ordering others around.
ARTISTS NEEDED: Soprano (Coloratura) Margaret, Harold (Baritone)
ORCHESTRATION: Picc, fl12, ob12, cl12, bsn, hrn12, tpt, trm, timp, perc (or drum set), pno, strings.
Great vehicle for young artists. First premiered at DePauw University, Greencastle Indiana in 1987. Later performed by the New Jersey Concert Opera in 2004. Combine with either J.N. Holland's other one act operas "The One Upstairs" (comedy) and "O Holy Art" (tragedy) to make a complete opera evening entitled "A New York Triptych" All require same type of singers (with some addition and chorus) and same size of orchestra. Other operas also available and published, sold separately.
Please note: Although this is a farce, the orchestral should have solid players, an experienced conductor and enough rehearsal time should be given so that the piece won't fall apart in performance. Due to the comedic element, there are constantly shifting tempos and effects that a comunity or amateur orchestra/conductor might have difficulty with.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.