Wuthering Heights (Floyd opera) explained

Wuthering Heights
Composer:Carlisle Floyd
Image Upright:0.8
Librettist:Floyd
Language:English
Premiere Location:Santa Fe Opera

Wuthering Heights is an opera in a prologue and three acts with music and a libretto by Carlisle Floyd. The work is adapted from Emily Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name. The opera premiered at the Santa Fe Opera on July 16, 1958, in a production directed by Irving Guttman. A revised version of the work was performed at the New York City Opera in 1959 with a cast that notably included Phyllis Curtin, Patricia Neway, and Frank Porretta.[1]

Roles

RoleVoice typePremiere cast[2]
July 16, 1958
Conductor: John Crosby
Heathcliff, An orphan brought by Mr Earnshaw to live at Wuthering Heights, loves Catherine EarnshawbaritoneRobert Trehy
Catherine Earnshaw, Daughter of Mr Earnshaw, loves HeathcliffsopranoPhyllis Curtin
Hindley Earnshaw, Catherine's brothertenorDavis Cunningham
Edgar Linton, of Thrushcross Grange, becomes Catherine's husbandtenorLoren Driscoll
Isabella Linton, Edgar's sister, becomes Heathcliff's wifesopranoMildred Allen
Mrs. Lintonmezzo-sopranoElaine Bonazzi
Nelly Dean, Housekeeper at Wuthering Heights mezzo-sopranoRegina Sarfaty
Mr Lockwood, Heathcliff's tenanttenorDavid Dodds
Joseph, Elderly servant at Wuthering Heights tenorNico Castel
Mr Earnshaw, Father of Catherine and Hindley bassJohn Macurdy

Recording

Wuthering Heights Georgia Jarman Kelly Markgraf Florentine Opera Company; Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Mechavich Reference Recordings: FR-721

Notes and References

  1. News: Opera: Floyd's Wuthering Heights. The New York Times. April 10, 1959. 22. Howard Taubman. Howard Taubman.
  2. Web site: Wuthering Heights. santafeopera.org. 18 February 2015.