Thomas, Ades, The Tempest Shakespeare into Opera Salzburg University Seminar Dr Lesley Mickel
Jan 1 st 1611, Jonson’s Oberon The Fairy Prince, performed at court in Whitehall. Nov 1 st 1611, Shakespeare’s, The Tempest, first performed at court in Whitehall, November 1st 1611 The King’s Men theatre company performed in both
Adaptations of The Tempest: Fletcher and Massinger, The Double Marriage (1621) and The Sea Voyage (1622) Dryden and Davenant, The Tempest, or the Enchanted Isle (1667) Thomas Shadwell’s operatic adaptation (1674) Duffet, The Mock-Tempest; or, The Enchanted Castle (1675) William Macready returns to the original play text (1838)
There are at least 24 operatic adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, including: Purcell, The Fairy-Queen (1692) Rossini, Otello, (1821) Verdi, Macbeth, (1847) Berlioz, Beatrice and Benedict, (1862) Verdi, Otello, (1887) Britten, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream (1960) Salinen, Kunningas, Lear, (2000)
Thomas Ades, The Tempest 2004 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Performances in Strasbourg and Copenhagen 2006 US première, Santa Fé Opera 2007 Royal Opera House revival 2012 & 2015 Festival d’Opera de Quebec, New York Metropolitan Opera & Vienna State Opera co-production, designed by Robert Lepage Ades: ‘I wanted to transfer the vision of Shakespeare as faithfully as possible to the opera’
Act 1 – The storm; Caliban introduced; Ferdinand washed ashore Act 2 – Stephano & Trinculo; Antonio & Stephano plot to overthrow Alonso, they encounter Caliban Ferdinand freed by Miranda. (Acts II & III) Act 3 – Banquet/masque. Ferdinand and Alonso reunited. All return to Milan. (Acts IV & V)