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Floyd: Prince of Players / Boggs, Milwaukee Symphony, Florentine Opera
Reference Recordings

Floyd: Prince of Players / Boggs, Milwaukee Symphony, Florentine Opera

$21.99

Details

Composer
FLOYD, CARLISLE
Artist
Florentine Opera, Boggs
Format
CD
Label
Reference Recordings
Released
Apr 24, 2020
Catalog #
FR-736
UPC
030911173623

About

A 2020 GRAMMY Nominee for Best Contemporary Classical Composition!

World Premiere Recording! The Florentine Opera brings Carlisle Floyd's daring new opera, "Prince of Players", to life! Floyd is one of the foremost composers and librettists of opera in the world today, and is considered the "Father of American Opera." During his long career, Floyd has composed 13 operas. His most recent, "Prince of Players", which premiered in March 2016 at the Houston Grand Opera, is based on the true story of the Restoration-era actor Edward Kynaston (1640–1706). The plot centers on the crisis faced by Kynaston when, by royal decree, he is prohibited from plying the craft that made him famous—playing female roles. With this Milwaukee production, the Florentine Opera gives Prince of Players its world-premiere live recording.

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REVIEW:

The full-orchestral version of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players does full justice to the sexual tensions of the historical period it adores, if less provocatively so without the visuals. Floyd and his collaborative team also gnaw at the relationship between words and music or, as in this case, between music and words. The structure is signposted by three fragments from a truncated version of the death scene from Othello during which Edward Kynaston (Keith Phares) segues from being strangled as Desdemona to strangling as Othello. The dramatic impact is heightened by Phares’s unswerving classical line and intense underlying emotion set against Kate Royal’s stunning portrayal of the era’s first female superstar, moving from the music hall to starring with her lover. The Florentine Opera production features Alexander Dobson’s powerful, compassionate Thomas Betterton, tenors Chad Shelton, Frank Kelley and Vale Rideout as the King and his courtiers, and Rena Harms as Nell Gwyn, each of whom give full reign to their key roles. The participation of the Milwaukee Symphony further justifies the decision to record the full-orchestral version, to which Reference does its usual audiophile justice.

– Gramophone

Tracklist 11 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Prologue 04:04
    Track
    1
    Title
    Prologue
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  3. 2 Act I Scene 1: Not again, never again! I shall not be humiliated again! (Male Emilia, Thomas, Miss Frayne, Lady Meresvale, Edward, Margaret) 10:05
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: Not again, never again! I shall not be humiliated again! (Male Emilia, Thomas, Miss Frayne, Lady Meresvale, Edward, Margaret)
    Duration
    10:05
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Nicholas Huff, Alexander Dobson, Nicole Heinen, Briana Moynihan, Keith Phares, Kate Royal
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  4. 3 Act I Scene 2: Do you know how many roles we've seen you in? (Lady Meresvale, Edward, Miss Frayne, Sir Charles) 04:57
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: Do you know how many roles we've seen you in? (Lady Meresvale, Edward, Miss Frayne, Sir Charles)
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Briana Moynihan, Keith Phares, Nicole Heinen, Frank Kelley
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  5. 4 Act I Scene 3: Oh! You startled me! (Edward, Margaret, Villiers) 08:07
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I Scene 3: Oh! You startled me! (Edward, Margaret, Villiers)
    Duration
    08:07
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Keith Phares, Kate Royal, Vale Rideout
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  6. 5 Act I Scene 4: The Duke of Buckingham, Your Majesty. (Hyde, Charles II, Villiers, Nell, Edward, Margaret, Sir Charles) 14:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I Scene 4: The Duke of Buckingham, Your Majesty. (Hyde, Charles II, Villiers, Nell, Edward, Margaret, Sir Charles)
    Duration
    14:24
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Nathaniel Hill, Chad Shelton, Vale Rideout, Rena Harms, Keith Phares, Kate Royal, Frank Kelley
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  7. Disc 2
  8. 1 Act II Scene 1: Tom! Tom! The King's edict is now a law! (Edward, Thomas, Nell, Margaret, Charles II, Sir Charles) 13:52
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act II Scene 1: Tom! Tom! The King's edict is now a law! (Edward, Thomas, Nell, Margaret, Charles II, Sir Charles)
    Duration
    13:52
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Keith Phares, Alexander Dobson, Rena Harms, Kate Royal, Chad Shelton, Frank Kelley
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  9. 2 Act II Scene 2: Ned, it's been a while. You look a fright (Villiers, Edward) 04:57
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: Ned, it's been a while. You look a fright (Villiers, Edward)
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Vale Rideout, Keith Phares
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  10. 3 Act II Scene 3: Gents, it's my esteemed pleasure to introduce to you … (Mistress Revels, Edward, Margaret, Sir Charles) 06:59
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act II Scene 3: Gents, it's my esteemed pleasure to introduce to you … (Mistress Revels, Edward, Margaret, Sir Charles)
    Duration
    06:59
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Sandra Piques Eddy, Keith Phares, Kate Royal, Frank Kelley
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  11. 4 Act II Scene 4: Shall I get a physician? (Margaret, Edward) 15:14
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II Scene 4: Shall I get a physician? (Margaret, Edward)
    Duration
    15:14
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Kate Royal, Keith Phares
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  12. 5 Act II Scene 5: Ned, Ned! It's Tom! (Thomas, Edward) 02:59
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II Scene 5: Ned, Ned! It's Tom! (Thomas, Edward)
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Alexander Dobson, Keith Phares
    Ensemble
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs
  13. 6 Act II Scene 6: Bring Mistress Hughes to the stage at once (All) 09:57
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II Scene 6: Bring Mistress Hughes to the stage at once (All)
    Duration
    09:57
    Composer
    Carlisle Floyd
    Performer
    Kate Royal, Rena Harms, Briana Moynihan, Nicole Heinen, Jessica Timman Schwefel, Sandra Piques Eddy, Nicholas Huff, Frank Kelley, Vale Rideout, John A. Stumpff, Chad Shelton, Nathaniel Hill, Keith Phares, Alexander Dobson
    Ensemble
    Florentine Opera Chorus, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    William Boggs