Scalia/Ginsburg Explained

Scalia/Ginsburg: A (Gentle) Parody of Operatic Proportions
Genre Header:Comic opera
Librettist:Derrick Wang
Composer:Derrick Wang
Language:English
Premiere Location:Castleton Festival

Scalia/Ginsburg is a 2015 comic opera (revised in 2017) by composer-librettist Derrick Wang about the relationship between United States Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.[1] Called "a dream come true" by Justice Ginsburg, the opera has been broadcast nationally on the radio in the United States,[2] produced in the United States and internationally,[3] [4] and featured on Live with Carnegie Hall.[5]

Background

The comic opera is about the relationship between Supreme Court of the United States Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.[6] The work balances the personalities of the two justices, Scalia's bombastic temperament versus Ginsburg's more demure nature,[7] reflects their public disagreements versus their private friendship,[8] and highlights their shared love of opera.[9] [10] The two justices often dined and attended the opera together,[11] and performed as supernumeraries in a 1994 Washington National Opera production of Ariadne auf Naxos.[12]

Composition history

Wang, a composer and dramatist with music degrees from Harvard and Yale, was a law student when he started writing the opera.[13] Inspired by Ginsburg and Scalia's differing opinions, close friendship, and mutual passion for opera, he decided to dramatize their relationship in operatic form.[14] In 2013, he presented excerpts before Ginsburg and Scalia at the Supreme Court.[15]

Title

When asked why Scalia's name appeared first in the title Scalia/Ginsburg, Ginsburg explained not only that it "sounds better" but also that everything at the Court is done by seniority.[16] [17] [18]

Style

Wang described the opera's underlying concept as "operatic precedent," by which the words and music consistently cite legal and operatic sources in the manner of a court opinion.[19] [20] [21] For example, Scalia enters singing a rage aria, whose 18th-century traditions reflect Scalia's originalism, but Ginsburg's first song evolves from opera to jazz to gospel and pop to reflect her philosophy of the evolving Constitution.[22] [23] [24] [25] Wang's narrative mixes constitutional theory (originalism versus living constitutionalism) with important decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court,[26] and includes references to McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Morrison v. Olson (1988), and Bush v. Gore (2000). The music mixes the compositional styles of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, and Bellini with "Verdi, Puccini, Christmas carols, 'The Star-Spangled Banner', and jazz."

Performance history

The opera premiered at the Castleton Festival in Virginia on July 11, 2015, with Ginsburg attending;[27] [28] [29] the opera had two more performances there.[30] A revised version[31] premiered at the Glimmerglass Festival in New York on August 4, 2017, with tenor William Burden in the role of Scalia and Mezzo-soprano Mary Beth Nelson as Ginsburg;[32] [33] Justice Ginsburg attended the final performance.[34] During the 2018 U.S. midterm election season, Opera North produced Scalia/Ginsburg in venues including Saint Anselm College.[35] [36] [37] Additional productions include those by Opera Delaware,[38] Opera Naples,[39] [40] [41] Opera Carolina,[42] [43] Opera Grand Rapids,[44] [45] Opera Memphis,[46] [47] Chautauqua Opera,[48] [49] and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s Princeton Festival,[50] in venues ranging from the Clinton Presidential Center[51] to the Holocaust Museum Houston.[52]

The 2019 Opera Delaware production, with soprano Jennifer Zetlan in the role of Ginsburg, was broadcast on radio in the United States and streamable internationally on November 7, 2020, on the WFMT Radio Network.[53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] In November 2020, Scalia/Ginsburg was featured on Live with Carnegie Hall, introduced by Metropolitan Opera star Isabel Leonard.[59] [60] In 2021, Scalia/Ginsburg received its Australian premiere by Orchestra Victoria at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in collaboration with the Wheeler Centre, conducted by Australian Ballet Chief Conductor Nicolette Fraillon.[61]

Publication history

In 2015, the Columbia Journal of Law and the Arts published an early version of the libretto containing over 200 footnotes to legal and musical sources.[62] Both justices wrote forewords to the libretto. One chapter of Ginsburg's 2016 book My Own Words consists of excerpts from the libretto,[63] [64] narrated and performed by Wang in the audiobook.[65] Ginsburg quoted the opera in her statement on Scalia's death[66] and cited it in her foreword to the book Scalia Speaks.[67] In 2022, Justice Ginsburg's copy of the Scalia/Ginsburg libretto with a one-page autograph manuscript of her handwritten notes was sold at auction for over USD$10,000.[68] [69]

In popular culture

On The Drew Barrymore Show, Drew Barrymore said of Scalia/Ginsburg, “When I read the words to this [opera], I had an incredible revelation…and it gave me so much hope.”[70]

In an interview with the U.S. Copyright Office, filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen credited Scalia/Ginsburg as an influence on their documentary RBG.[71]

Roles and their creators

RoleVoice typeWorld premiere cast
Castleton, July 11, 2015
Conductor: Salvatore Percacciolo
Director: Maria Tucci		Revised version
Glimmerglass, August 4, 2017
Conductor: Jesse Leong
Director: Brenna Corner		Radio broadcast
Opera Delaware, November 7, 2020
Conductor: Sara Jobin
Director: Fenlon Lamb
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgsoprano or mezzo-sopranoEllen WieserMary Beth NelsonJennifer Zetlan
Justice Antonin ScaliatenorJohn OverholtWilliam BurdenBrian Cheney
The Commentatorbass-baritoneAdam CioffariBrent Michael SmithBen Wager

Synopsis

The play starts in the Supreme Court Building with Scalia confronted in the courtroom by the "Commentator". The Commentator has supernatural powers and seals the room, stating "No man shall enter." Once the room is sealed, Scalia is forced to defend his approach to the law and may only escape by passing three trials. Ginsburg, not a man, breaks into the courtroom to defend her friend Scalia and insists on taking the trials alongside him. The opera ends after the two undergo the trials together.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 2019-09-19. Justice Ginsburg Explains the 'Scalia/Ginsburg' Opera. The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.
  2. Web site: 2020-11-06. An Opera Without Precedent: Derrick Wang's US Supreme Court Comic Opera Scalia/Ginsburg. 2021-06-03. WFMT. en-US.
  3. Web site: 2021-03-29. Chautauqua Opera Company Celebrates Versatility, Creativity in 2021 Season. 2021-06-03. Chautauqua Institution. en-US.
  4. Web site: Event – Scalia/Ginsburg: An Opera by Derrick Wang and Across the Aisle: A Panel Discussion on Justice and Jurisprudence. 2021-06-03. The Wheeler Centre. en.
  5. Web site: 2020-11-19. Live with Carnegie Hall: Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg. YouTube.
  6. News: Bravin. Jess. 2014-12-02. How Do You Solve a Problem Like Scalia? Set His Dissents to Music. en-US. A1. Wall Street Journal. 2014-12-03. 2020-11-02. 0099-9660.
  7. Web site: Totenberg. Nina. 2015-07-10. Judicial Differences Take Center Stage In 'Scalia V. Ginsburg'. 2020-02-16. All Things Considered. NPR.
  8. News: 2015-10-08. Antonin Scalia Serenades Ruth Bader Ginsburg Over Gay Marriage With Bob Dylan Song. HuffPost. Reuters. 2020-02-16.
  9. Web site: Cox. Chelsey. Fact check: It's true, Ginsburg and Scalia were close friends despite ideological differences. 2020-11-02. USA TODAY. en-US.
  10. News: Totenberg. Nina. 2013-07-10. Scalia V. Ginsburg: Supreme Court Sparring, Put to Music. All Things Considered. NPR. 2020-02-16.
  11. News: Biskupic. Joan. Joan Biskupic. 2009-08-24. Ginsburg, Scalia Strike a Balance. USA Today. 2020-07-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20080117165453/http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-25-ginsburg-scalia_N.htm. January 17, 2008.
  12. Web site: Ginsburg. Ruth Bader. 2015-07-13. My First Opera. 2020-07-23. Opera America.
  13. Scalia. Antonin. Ginsburg. Ruth Bader. 2015. Prefaces to Scalia/Ginsburg: A (Gentle) Parody of Operatic Proportions. The Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts. en. 38. 2. 237. 10.7916/jla.v38i2.2118. 2161-9271.
  14. Web site: 2013-09-04. Stealth Lawyer: Derrick Wang, Composer & Pianist. 2020-11-02. YouTube. Bloomberg Law.
  15. Web site: 2016-04-14. Scalia and Ginsburg on Broadway. 2020-11-02. YouTube. TEDxBroadway.
  16. Web site: Big Brains podcast: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg On Polarization, Discrimination and Her Favorite Dissent. 2020-11-02. news.uchicago.edu. en.
  17. Web site: 2014-08-04. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Discusses the 2013-14 Term. 2020-11-02. YouTube. Duke University School of Law.
  18. Web site: Justices Ginsburg and Scalia: An Unlikely Bond. 2020-11-02. gwtoday.gwu.edu. en.
  19. Web site: Jackson. L. Jay. 2013-12-01. Opera based on Justices Ginsburg and Scalia is written by attorney. 2020-11-02. ABA Journal. en.
  20. Web site: Pentreath. Rosie. 2020-09-21. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's love of opera transcended politics...and fuelled an unexpected friendship. 2020-11-02. Classic FM. en.
  21. Web site: Ginsburg. Ruth Bader. A Love Supreme for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 2020-11-02. AARP. en.
  22. News: Langer. Emily. 2013-10-04. Derrick Wang Discusses 'Scalia/Ginsburg,' His Opera about the Supreme Court Justices. en-US. E5. Washington Post. 2020-11-02. 0190-8286.
  23. Web site: Sherman. Mark. 2013-08-06. Scalia and Ginsburg inspire a new opera, 'Scalia/Ginsburg'. 2020-11-02. Salon. Associated Press. en.
  24. News: Galanes. Philip. 2015-11-14. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Gloria Steinem on the Unending Fight for Women's Rights. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-11-02. 0362-4331.
  25. Web site: Richter. Nicolas. Hört! Hört! Hört. 2020-11-02. Süddeutsche.de. de.
  26. News: Kennicott. Philip. 2015-07-12. Scalia/Ginsburg: An affectionate comic opera look at the high court. en-US. The Washington Post. 2020-02-16. 0190-8286.
  27. News: Edgers. Geoff. 2015-07-08. From 'rage aria' to 'lovely duet,' opera does justice to court, Ginsburg says. en-US. Washington Post. 2020-10-28. 0190-8286.
  28. News: Heil. Emily. 'Scalia/Ginsburg' opera draws VIPs of the legal world. en-US. Washington Post. 2020-11-02. 0190-8286.
  29. News: 2020-09-23. Diva dissenter: Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on September 18th. The Economist. 2020-11-02. 0013-0613.
  30. Web site: Gallagher. Nicholas M.. 2015-08-06. Opera Dicta. 2020-10-28. The American Interest. en-US.
  31. Web site: Composing the Law: An Interview with Derrick Wang, Creator of the Scalia/Ginsburg Opera. 2020-10-28. www.americanbar.org. en.
  32. Web site: Opera Notes by Alexis Greene: Scalia/Ginsburg shouldn't be missed. 2020-10-28. Cooperstown Crier. en.
  33. News: Waleson. Heidi. 2017-08-16. The New Faces of Opera. en-US. Wall Street Journal. 2020-10-28. 0099-9660.
  34. Web site: Sohre. James. 2017-08-23. Glimmerglass Being Judgmental. 2020-11-02. Opera Today.
  35. Web site: 2018-09-05. Opera North Schedules a Sharp-Edged, Contemporary Production. 2020-10-28. Valley News.
  36. Web site: 2018-10-02. Opera Preview: "Scalia/Ginsburg" - Mining (and Minding) the Political Gap. 2020-10-28. The Arts Fuse. en-US.
  37. Web site: Writer. Jim Lowe Staff. Opera North's 'Scalia/Ginsburg': A much more fun look at the Supreme Court. 2020-10-28. Times Argus. en.
  38. Web site: Dohony. Erin. OperaDelaware presents 'Trial by Jury' and 'Scalia/Ginsburg'. 2020-10-28. www.broadstreetreview.com.
  39. Web site: Heithaus. Harriet Howard. Opera Naples takes its case for opera to the Supreme Court — just after 'Boheme'. 2020-10-28. Naples News. en-US.
  40. Web site: Heithaus. Harriet Howard. Ginsburg, Scalia make for unique, funny opera in Naples. 2020-10-28. Naples News. en-US.
  41. Web site: Heithaus. Harriet Howard. Naples Opera strikes gold with a double bill of 'Trial by Jury,' 'Scalia/Ginsburg'. 2020-10-28. Naples News. en-US.
  42. Web site: 2020-03-07. SCALIA/GINSBURG. 2020-10-28. FOX 46 Charlotte. en-US.
  43. Web site: 2020-03-10. Opera Carolina Presents Scalia/Ginsburg. 2020-10-28. QC Life. en-US.
  44. Web site: Salazar. David. 2020-03-17. Opera Grand Rapids 2020 Review: Scalia / Ginsburg. 2020-10-28. Opera Wire. en-US.
  45. Web site: Kissane. John. 2020-03-16. Art in the Time of COVID-19: Scalia/Ginsburg at Opera Grand Rapids. 2020-11-02. The Rapidian. en-US.
  46. Web site: 2021-06-01. Scalia/Ginsburg to take the stage at Germantown Performing Arts Center. 2021-06-03. WREG News Channel 3. en-US.
  47. Web site: 2021-05-18. Opera Memphis Presents SCALIA/GINSBURG. 2021-06-03. BroadwayWorld.com. en.
  48. Web site: 2021-05-25. Opera Chat: "Scalia/Ginsburg" with Cara Consilvio & Derrick Wang. 2021-06-03. Chautauqua Institution.
  49. Web site: Kwiatkowski. David. 2021-07-09. A Supreme chorus: Chautauqua Opera opens season with 'Scalia/Ginsburg'. 2022-01-31. The Chautauquan Daily. en-US.
  50. Web site: Cristi. A. A.. 2022-01-26. All-New, Outdoor Princeton Festival In The Works For June 10-25, 2022. 2022-01-31. BroadwayWorld.com. en.
  51. Web site: Harrison. Eric E.. 2021-08-28. Singers do 'justice' to 'Scalia/Ginsburg' as Opera in the Rock opens season. 2022-01-31. Arkansas Online. en.
  52. Web site: Downing. Margaret. 2021-09-16. Opera in the Heights Embarks on an In-Person and Digital 2021-22 Season. 2022-01-31. Houston Press. en.
  53. Web site: OD Radio Broadcasts: Trial by Jury & Scalia/Ginsburg. 2020-11-02. OperaDelaware. en-US.
  54. Web site: Cruickshank. Saralyn. 2020-11-06. Forging friendships across political divides. 2020-11-06. The Hub. en-US.
  55. Web site: Obenreder. Gail. 2020-11-04. OperaDelaware to run timely comic billing of 'Scalia/Ginsburg' and 'Trial by Jury'. 2020-11-06. Broad Street Review. en-US.
  56. Web site: Scalia/Ginsburg/Wang: An Opera and Conversation about Forging Friendship across Ideological Divides. 2020-11-02. SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins.
  57. Web site: 2018-04-09. OperaDelaware Programs. 2020-10-15. WFMT Radio Network.
  58. Web site: Dobrin. Peter. Philadelphia's opera community pours its love for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 2020-10-15. The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  59. Web site: Live with Carnegie Hall: Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg Nov 19, 2020 at 7:30 PM. 2021-06-03. www.carnegiehall.org. en.
  60. Web site: Salazar. David. 2020-11-19. Brian Cheney, Jennifer Zetlan to Appear in 'Remembering RBG'. 2021-06-03. OperaWire. en-US.
  61. Web site: Scalia/Ginsburg. 2021-06-03. Australian Shakespeare Company.
  62. Wang. Derrick. 2015-02-16. Scalia/Ginsburg: A (Gentle) Parody of Operatic Proportions. The Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts. en. 38. 2. 239–292. 10.7916/jla.v38i2.2119. 2161-9271.
  63. Book: Ginsburg, Ruth Bader. My Own Words. Simon & Schuster. Hartnett, Mary; Williams, Wendy W.. 2016. 978-1-5011-4524-7. 1st. New York, NY. 43–55, 341–350. 946693458.
  64. Web site: Chemerinsky. Erwin. 2016-11-08. Book Review: My Own Words. 2020-11-02. Washington Independent Review of Books.
  65. Web site: Donahue. Joe. 2020-09-21. Composer Derrick Wang Discusses His Opera 'Scalia/Ginsburg'. 2020-11-02. WAMC. en-US.
  66. Web site: Williams. Pete. Fieldstadt. Elisha. 2016-02-14. Read Justice Ginsburg's Touching Tribute to Scalia: 'We Were Best Buddies'. 2020-11-02. NBC News. en-US.
  67. Book: Scalia, Antonin. Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and Life Well Lived. Crown Publishing Group. Scalia, Christopher J.; Whelan, Edward. 2017. 978-0-525-57332-6. New York. x-xi. 993996596.
  68. Web site: Tarmy. James. 2022-01-04. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Private Library Is Coming to Auction. 2022-01-31. Bloomberg.
  69. Web site: 2022-01-27. The Library of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg / Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Autograph Notes on Opera and Law. 2022-01-31. Bonhams. en.
  70. Web site: 2020-09-21. Drew's News: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Tribute. The Drew Barrymore Show.
  71. Web site: 2021-02-17. The Enduring Copyright Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. U.S. Copyright Office.
  72. Web site: Lat. David. David Lat. ATL Opera Review: Scalia/Ginsburg. July 16, 2015. 2020-02-16. Above the Law.

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