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''Transformations'' is a chamber opera in two acts by the American composer Conrad Susa with a libretto of ten poems by Anne Sexton from her 1971 book ''Transformations'', a collection of confessional poetry based on stories by the Brothers Grimm. Commissioned by Minnesota Opera, the work, which is described by its composer as "An Entertainment in 2 Acts", had its world premiere on 5 May 1973 at the Cedar Village Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Anne Sexton, who had worked closely with Susa on the libretto, was in the audience. It went on to become one of the most frequently performed operas by an American composer with its chamber opera format of eight singers and an instrumental ensemble of eight musicians making it particularly popular with smaller opera companies and conservatories. The 2006 revival production of ''Transformations'' at the Wexford Opera Festival won the ''Irish Times'' Theatre Award for Best Opera Production. ==Background and performance history== ''Transformations'' was commissioned from Conrad Susa in 1972 by Minnesota Opera, a company specializing in new works by American composers. Later that year, Susa approached the American poet Anne Sexton with the idea of using her 1971 book, ''Transformations'', a poetic re-telling of sixteen stories by the Brothers Grimm, as the basis for the libretto.〔 Delighted with the idea of hearing her poetry as song, she cooperated closely with Susa in selecting and arranging the ten poems which would form the basis of the opera.〔See Sexton (2004) p. 384; ECS Publishing (2010) p. 40; and Opera America〕 ''Transformations'' premiered on 5 May 1973 at the Cedar Village Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The premiere production was conducted by Philip Brunelle and directed by H. Wesley Balk with set and costume design by Robert Israel and lighting design by Bruce Miller.〔 Sexton herself was in the audience that night. She subsequently returned to Minneapolis for further performances and made a tape-recording of the opera which she listened to repeatedly and played for her friends and family.〔Sexton (2004) p. 384〕 In August 1978, the opera received its US television premiere when it was broadcast on the PBS network in a slightly shortened version performed by Minnesota Opera and co-produced by WNET and KTCA.〔''Victoria Advocate'' (12 August 1978) p. 6D〕 Anne Sexton did not live to see the broadcast. Throughout her life she had suffered from mental illness with repeated suicide attempts followed by stays in psychiatric hospitals. On 4 October 1974, dressed in her mother's old fur coat, she killed herself at her home in Weston, Massachusetts.〔Runco and Pritzker (1999) p. 557.〕 ''Transformations'' went on to become one of the most frequently performed operas by an American composer.〔Adams (2000) p. 851〕 Its chamber opera format has made it particularly popular with smaller opera companies and conservatories. Notable US revivals include those at the Spoleto Festival USA (1980), Aspen Music Festival with Renée Fleming as Anne Sexton (1982), New York Opera Repertory Theater in New York City (1987),〔Henahan (20 June 1987)〕 Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City (1996),〔Holland (28 June 1996)〕 Opera Theatre of St. Louis (1997),〔Kennicott (10 June 1997) p. 3D〕 Peabody Institute (1999 and 2010),〔Brunyate (1999)〕 San Francisco Opera's Merola Program with the composer in the audience (2006),〔Kosman (17 July 2006)〕 University of Maryland Opera Studio (2007), and the Juilliard School (2010).〔Robinson (February 2010)〕 Although it has remained relatively unknown in Europe, ''Transformations'' had its UK premiere in 1978 performed by the English Music Theatre Company and was one of the featured operas of the 2006 Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland.〔Hall (30 October 2006)〕 The Wexford production, directed by Michael Barker-Caven, won the 2006 ''Irish Times'' Theatre Award for Best Opera Production.〔(The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards: Past winners )〕 The continental European premiere, directed by Elsa Rooke, was given at the Lausanne Opera in June 2006. The original Minnesota Opera production was set in a mental hospital, a setting used in most of its revivals. However, the 2006 San Francisco production was set in an outdoor party in 1970s American suburbia, while the 2007 University of Maryland production was set in a 1970s nightclub (complete with a disco ball) and modelled on Studio 54. The opera was given a pop-art treatment, inspired by Klaus Oldenburg and Andy Warhol,〔San Francisco Opera Photo Archive. (''Transformations'' (1980) )〕 when it was performed in 1980 at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts by San Francisco Spring Opera in a production designed by Thomas Munn and directed by Richard C. Hudson.〔Rich (26 May 1980) p. 61〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Transformations (opera)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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