Score
Wild swans : a ballet in two acts / Elena Kats-Chernin.
Library shelf no. Q 784.2/KAT 6 [Available for loan]
Work Details
Year: 2002
Instrumentation: Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes (2nd doubling cor anglais), 2 clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet), alto saxophone, 2 bassoons (2nd doubling contra-bassoon), 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, percussion (3 players), harp, piano (doubling celesta), soprano voice, strings.
Duration: 90 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Contents note: Act I: 1. Overture -- 2. Prologue -- 3. Cutting dolls -- 4. Eliza aria -- 5. Brothers Pontuff & Witch entry -- 6. Father entry & seduction -- 7. Wedding girls -- 8. Wedding men -- 9. Wedding all -- 10. Transformation -- 11. Echo -- 12. Glow worms -- 13. Green leaf. Act II: 1. Cutting snow -- 2. Snow -- 3. Soaring flight -- 4. Witches behind the screen (Seduction) -- 5. Tarantella -- 6. Knitting -- 7. Cemetery -- 8. Gossip whispers -- 9. Prince pas de deux -- 10. Eliza knitting again -- 11. Condemnation -- 12. Flying cemetery -- 13. Swans are transformed -- 14. Maracas laughing song -- 15. Presents: Clown -- 16. Presents: Mermaid -- 17. Presents: Pea Princess -- 18. Presents: Emperor's clothes -- 19. Presents: Red shoes -- 20. Presents: Match girl -- 21. Hungarian ending -- 22. Green leaf sad.
First performance: by Australian Ballet, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra — 29 Apr 03. Sydney Opera House
The work was created in collaboration with choreographer Meryl Tankard. It is based on Hans Christian Andersen's 1838 fairytale The Wild Swans.
Winner of 2003 Green Room Awards and 2004 Helpmann Awards for best original score.
Awards & Prizes
Year | Award | Placing | Awarded for/to |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Helpmann Awards | Winner, Best Original Score | Elena Kats-Chernin |
Analysis
Article: Scoring a fairytale with empathy for the prince
by Jane Albert — © News Limited
Source: Source: The Australian, 1 May, 2003, p.14
Article: Can't stop the music
by Jacqui Taffel — © John Fairfax Holdings
Source: Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 15 October 2005 - Spectrum pp.4
Article: Sound of music for Sunday's silent stars
by Iain Shedden — © News Limited
Source: Source: The Australian, 3 June 2005, pp.19
Article: Elena's music is all remarkably composed
by Diana Simmonds — © News Limited
Source: Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 3 July, 2005, pp.117
Subjects
- Influenced by: Literature & Poetry
Performances of this work
8 Feb 2020: at Dance, Dance, Dance (Sidney Myer Music Bowl). Featuring Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey.
29 Apr 03: Sydney Opera House. Featuring Australian Ballet, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.
User reviews
Be the first to share your thoughts, opinions and insights about this work.
To post a comment please login.