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North American Works Directory Listing
| Composer: |
Carlisle Floyd
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| Composer Bio: |
Composer, librettist, pianist, and teacher Carlisle Floyd has written operas for many of America’s cherished stories, basing much of his subject matter on Southern themes. Born in the Southern Bible Belt of Latta, South Carolina, he grew up in the thick of traveling preachers, revival meetings, and a close knit religious community, though at a young age was aware of that world’s controversial and hypocritical nature. Floyd’s primary teacher was pianist Ernst Bacon whom he followed from South Carolina to Syracuse University in New York where he earned a Bachelor and a Master of Music. He immediately joined the piano faculty of Florida State University where he began exploring an interest in composition, writing both the libretti and the music for operas with a distinctly American voice. He achieved national recognition with Susanna, which premiered at Florida State University in 1955.
Today Carlisle Floyd’s operas are performed throughout America and Europe and Susanna and Of Mice and Men have become standard repertoire. Floyd was one of eight recipients of the National Medal of Arts in 2004. He is also the winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Citation of Merit from the National Association of American Conductors and Composers and the National Opera Institute’s Award for Service to American Opera. In 2008, Floyd was the only composer to be included in the inaugural National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors.
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| Librettist: |
Carlisle Floyd
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| Other Artistic Personnel: |
Patrick Summers (Conductor)
Bruce Beresford (Director)
Michael Yeargan (Set and Costume Designer)
Duane Schuler (Lighting Designer)
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| Original Cast: |
Dean Peterson (Rucker Lattimore)
Patricia Racette (Love Simpson)
John McVeigh (Will Tweedy)
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| Premiere Date: |
April 14, 2000
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| Producing Company: |
Houston Grand Opera Association, Inc., San Diego Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Baltimore Opera Company, Opera Carolina
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| Description: |
Set in the 1900s, in rural Georgia, the story depicts the "modern" age coming to a small southern town as observed by a 14-year-old boy.
Controversy arises when the boy's grandfather, the town's leading and most outspoken citizen, marries an attractive "Yankee" nearly half his age, a mere three weeks after his wife's death.
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| Character List (Major): |
Ruker Lattimore (bb)
Love Simpson (s)
Will Tweedy (t)
Lightfoot McClendon (15 years - high sop)
Clayton McAllister (bar)
Loma Williams (mz)
Effie Belle Tate (mz)
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| Character List (Minor): |
Mary Willis (s)
Thelma Predmore (mz)
Lula (s)
Myrtis (mz)
Campbell WIlliams (t)
Hosie Roach (bar)
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| Bit Parts: |
Mayor (t)
Sheriff (bar)
Dr. Lomax (bb)
Rufus (t)
Buford (t/bar)
Luther (t)
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| Reviews: |
San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman, 4/17/2000; The Austin Chronicle, Robert Faires, 1/21/2001; Atlanta Journal, Pierre Ruhe, 2/3/2008; Classical Voice of North Carolina, William Thomas Walker, 2/2003; Andante Magazine, Wayne Lee Gay, 7/31/2005; Opera News Online, Stephanie Adrian, 2/2/08;
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| Chorus: |
SATB, minimum 24
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| Orchestration: |
47 players: 2(II=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).2(II=dbn)-4.2.2.1-timp.perc(3):xyl/vib/glsp/chimes/SD/TD/BD/gong/susp.cym/crash cym/gong/ant.cym/tgl/tamb/wdbl/bell tree/whip-pft(=cel)-harp-strings
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| Musical Style: |
Lyrical
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| Contact: |
Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
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| Address: |
229 W 28th Street, Floor 11
New York, NY 10001
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| Phone: |
212-358-5300
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The Opera Fund Awardee Information
| Award Category: |
2007
Audience Development
Project
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| Project Name: |
COLD SASSY TREE: Audience Development
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| Awardee: |
Atlanta Opera, The
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| Director: |
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| Conductor: |
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| Designer: |
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Audio Visual Materials
Images:
From left to right: Erin Wall (Love Simpson), John McVeigh (Will Tweedy)
Courtesy of: Atlanta Opera; Photo credit: Ellis Howard Wallace
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From left to right: Kristopher Irmiter (Rucker Lattimore), Erin Wall (Love Simpson)
Courtesy of: Atlanta Opera; Photo credit: Ellis Howard Wallace
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Schedule of Performances Listings
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Cold Sassy Tree
( Floyd)
Saturday, May 17, 2003 - Utah Symphony | Utah Opera
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Cold Sassy Tree
( Floyd)
Saturday, May 04, 2002 - Lyric Opera of Kansas City
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Cold Sassy Tree
( Floyd)
Saturday, March 24, 2001 - San Diego Opera Association
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What is OPERAAmerica.org?
Spring 2013 Magazine Issue
- Letter from the President/CEO
- Of One: The Quest for Asian Fusion in the Opera House
- Vancouver: Where Nature Nurtures Art
- Inheriting the Wind
- My First Time
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