| The Seagull | |
| Composer: | Thomas Pasatieri |
| Librettist: | Kenward Elmslie |
| Language: | English |
| Based On: | Anton Chekhov's The Seagull |
| Premiere Location: | Houston Grand Opera |
The Seagull is an opera in three acts by Thomas Pasatieri to an English libretto by Kenward Elmslie. The plot is based on Anton Chekhov's 1896 play, The Seagull.
The work had its world premiere at Houston Grand Opera on 5 March 1974 conducted by Charles Rosekrans. Notable later productions include Seattle Opera (1976), Washington National Opera (1978), Atlanta Civic Opera (1980), Fort Worth Opera (1982) and the Manhattan School of Music (2002). On 23 April 2004, a revised version premiered on at the San Francisco Opera Center, a resident artist program of San Francisco Opera. In September 2010 The Seagull was performed at Dicapo Opera in New York City as part of the international Armel Opera Competition and Festival. A European premiere will follow in November from the National Theatre of Szeged in Hungary; this production will be televised live to more than 40 countries and streamed live across the web.[1]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 5 March 1974 Conductor: Charles Rosekrans[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masha | soprano | Patricia Wells/Catherine Malfitano | |
| Medvedenko | tenor | Michael Best | |
| Constantine | baritone | Richard Stilwell/Robert Shiesley | |
| Sorin | bass-baritone | David Rae Smith | |
| Nina | mezzo-soprano or soprano | Frederica von Stade/Evelyn Petros (mezzo) | |
| Irina Arkadina | soprano | Evelyn Lear/Dolores Strazicich | |
| Boris Trigorin | baritone | John Reardon/Ronald Hedlund | |
| Shamrayeff | bass baritone | Jon Enloe | |
| Pauline | mezzo-soprano | Dana Krueger | |
| Doctor Dorn | tenor | Jack Trussel | |
| Director | Frank Corsaro | ||
| Set and costume designer | Allen Charles Klein | ||
The first, and only, complete commercial recording of the opera is based on the live performance of the work's New York City premiere at the Manhattan School of Music.