| The Thirteenth Child | |
| Composer: | Poul Ruders |
| Librettist: | Becky Starobin, David Starobin |
| Language: | English |
| Premiere Location: | Santa Fe Opera |
The Thirteenth Child is an English-language opera in two acts, composed by Danish composer Poul Ruders in 2016, to a libretto by Ruders's manager Becky Starobin and her husband, guitarist David Starobin. The opera, Ruders fifth, is inspired by the fairytale "The Twelve Brothers".
Prior to being performed on stage, the opera was recorded for the Starobin family's Bridge Records label.[1]
The premiere production was commissioned by Santa Fe Opera and the Odense Symfoniorkester.[2]
The opera premiered on 27 July 2019 at Santa Fe Opera. Paul Daniel conducted the staging by Darko Tresnjak, the set was designed by Alexander Dodge, costumes designed by Rita Ryack, lighting design by York Kennedy, projection design by Aaron Rhyne, chorus master was Susanne Sheston.
| King Hjarne of Frohagord | paranoid bass | David Leigh | |
| Queen Gertrude of Frohagord | tragic contralto | Tamara Mumford | |
| Lyra, Princess of Frohagord | innocent soprano | Jessica E. Jones | |
| Frederic, Prince of Hauven | proud tenor | Joshua Dennis | |
| Drokan, Regent of the kingdom of Hauven | scheming bass-baritone | Bradley Garvin | |
| Benjamin, youngest Prince of Frohagord | good-hearted tenor | Billy Bruley | |
| Corbin, eldest Prince of Frohagord | worried bass | David Leigh | |
| Toke, second eldest Prince | worried tenor | Anthony Ciaramitaro |
2 clarinets, 2 saxophones, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in B♭, 2 trombones, tuba, 2 percussion sections, harp, piano, 3 synthesizers, 10 violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, 2 double bass.