Caligula is 2006 German-language opera by Detlev Glanert in four acts to a libretto by Hans-Ulrich Treichel, freely adapted from the 1945 play by Albert Camus. The published version by Boosey & Hawkes also includes an English version by Amanda Holden. The opera premiered at the Oper Frankfurt, conducted by Markus Stenz, directed by Christian Pade [de]. The plot of Camus' play tells of the last days of Caligula.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 7 October 2006 Conductor: Markus Stenz |
|---|---|---|
| Caligula | dramatic baritone | Ashley Holland |
| Caesonia | mezzo-soprano | Michaela Schuster |
| Helicon | countertenor | Martin Wölfel [de] |
| Cherea | bass | Gregory Frank |
| Scipio | contralto | Jurgita Adamonyte |
| Mucius | tenor | Hans-Jürgen Lazar |
| Mereia/Lepidus | baritone | Dietrich Volle |
| Livia | soprano | Barbara Zechmeister |
| Drusila | silent role | |
| Four poets | 2 tenors, 2 basses | Constantin Neiconi, Michael Schulte, Jin Soo Lee, Matthias Holzmann |
Recording
- Caligula – Ashley Holland (Caligula), Michaela Schuster (Caesonia), Martin Wölfel (Helicon), and Dietrich Volle (Mereia/Lepidus), Barbara Zechmeister (Livia), Hans-Jürgen Lazar (Mucius), Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, Markus Stenz, Oehms 2012
References
- Caligula, work details, Boosey & Hawkes
- Margaret Ross Griffel, Operas in German: A Dictionary ISBN 978-1-4422-4797-0 2018, p. 74: "Caligula, opera in four acts by Detlev Glanert; libretto (Ger) by Hans-Ulrich Treichel, after Albert Camus. ... Oper Frankfurt, with Ashley Holland (Caligula), Michaela Schuster (Caesonia), Martin Wölfel (Helicon), and Gregory Frank (Cherea)"
- Ernst Christian Schütt. Chronik Jahrgangsband 2007 ISBN 978-3577141079 2008. p. 153: "In seiner Oper Caligula beleuchtet Detlev Glanert den Wandel des römischen Kaisers vom vorbildlichen Herrscher zum grausamen Tyrannen."
- Opernwelt, vol. 48, issues 1–6, p. 41, 2007
- Opernwelt, vol. 47, issues 7–12, p. 11
- Review by Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 30 April 2010: "A full German libretto is included in the booklet, but there's no English version."