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  • During these unprecedented times, opera performance plans may need to be adapted to fit within new restrictions that vary from country to country. With that in mind, we have curated lists of selected operas for smaller vocal and instrumental forces.

    The repertoire suggestions below can be performed by small vocal casts and ensembles up to 10 or 20 instrumentalists. Groups of this number are permitted to gather in some countries already, hopefully with other countries to follow as circumstances and rules allow – with appropriate distancing of course.

    Please explore our chamber operas with large or small ensemble, operas with piano, music theatre works, monodramas and dramatic vocal works.

    We are happy to supply perusal scores and audio links to conductors and programmers as required, so please contact your local Boosey & Hawkes office: composers.uk@booseycom; [email protected]; [email protected].

    Also explore our repertoire for:
    > Small orchestra or ensemble with up to 20 players
    > Chamber orchestra or large ensemble with up to 50 players
    > String orchestra or ensemble up to 20 or 50 players
    > Arrangements of classic works for ensemble


  • Chamber opera with large ensemble (11-20 players)

  • Michel van der Aa
    After Life 100'
    Opera for 6 singers, ensemble, video and electronic soundtrack
    2S,M,A,2Bar

    Jack Beeson
    Doctor Heidegger’s Fountain of Youth 42'
    Chamber opera in one act
    S,M,T,Bar,BBar,speaker(female)

    Sorry, Wrong Number 40'
    A conversational chamber opera in one act
    Major roles: S,lyrS,M,A,Bar,lyrBar,B; minor roles: Bar,B

    Hello Out There 40'
    Chamber opera in one act
    Major roles: S,Bar; minor roles: T,2speakers,mime

    Lizzie Borden 90'
    Chamber version in seven scenes by Charles Tolliver and John Conklin
    dramcol S,lyr S,M,T,lyr Bar,BBar

    Leonard Bernstein
    A Quiet Place 100'
    Opera in three acts, version with chamber ensemble by Garth Sunderland
    Major roles: S,T,Bar,B; minor roles: M,A,2T,Bar,B; vocal quartet(SATB)

    Trouble in Tahiti 40'
    One act opera in seven scenes, reduced orchestration by Garth Sunderland
    M,BBar,Jazz trio(S,hT,hBar)

    Benjamin Britten
    Albert Herring 137'
    Comic opera in three acts
    2S,2M,A,2T,2Bar,B; Children's roles:Tr,2S

    The Rape of Lucretia 107'
    Opera in two acts
    2S,M,A,T,2Bar,B

    The Turn of the Screw 101'
    Opera in a prologue and two acts
    Tr,3S,S(orM),2T

    Luigi Cherubini
    Lo sposo di tre e marito di nessuna 150'
    (The Betrothed of Three and the Husband of None)
    Dramma giocoso per musica
    3S,T,3Bar

    Carlisle Floyd
    Slow Dusk 40'
    A musical play in one act
    S,M,T,Bar

    The Sojourner and Mollie Sinclair 75'
    Opera in one act
    S,M,T,Bar,BBar; chorus

    Elena Kats-Chernin
    The Rage of Life 70'
    Chamber opera
    Major roles: S,Bar; minor roles: 2S,M,2T,B

    Hans Krása
    Brundibár 30'
    Opera for children
    Children's choir with 10 major roles

    Marvin David Levy
    Escorial 40'
    Lyric drama in one act
    LyrT,Bar,B

    Tod Machover
    Schoenberg in Hollywood 90'
    Chamber opera
    S,T,Bar

    James MacMillan
    Búsqueda 29'
    Music Theatre work for speaker, actors, soprano and ensemble
    3S,speaker, 8actors

    Parthenogenesis 50'
    Scena for soprano, baritone, actress and chamber ensemble
    S,Bar,actress

    Bohuslav Martinu
    The Marriage (reduced version) 61'
    Comic opera in two acts, reduced scoring by Udo Zimmermann and Rene Hirschfeld
    Major roles: S,M,A,T,Bar; minor roles: 2T,2B,2speakers

    Jacques Offenbach
    Croquefer ou Le Dernier des paladins 45'
    Opéra-bouffe in one act (Richter version)
    S,3T,Bar

    Mesdames de la Halle 50'
    Opérette-bouffe in one act (Richter/Heinzelmann version)
    S,M,4T,B; 3 minor female roles; chorus ad lib

    Le Soldat magicien 55'
    Opéra-comique in one act (Schandert version)
    2S,2T,lyrBar,speaking role

    Prokofieff-Suppan
    The Fiery Angel (chamber version) 125'
    Opera in five acts and seven scenes, scoring by Wolfgang Suppan
    dramS,Bar,2M,3T,Bar,B,M,T,3B; chorus

    Steve Reich & Beryl Korot
    The Cave 122'
    Audio-visual music theatre work
    vocal quartet: 2lyrS,T,Bar

    Ned Rorem
    Robbers 28'
    Melodrama in one scene
    T,lyrBar,BBar

    Mark-Anthony Turnage
    Coraline 100'
    Opera (for family audience)
    2S,3M,T,2Bar

  • Chamber opera with small ensemble (up to 10 players)

  • John Adams
    I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky 110'
    Songplay in two acts
    3M,highT,T,2Bar

    Dominick Argento
    Postcard from Morocco 90'
    Opera in one act
    colS,S,M,lyrT,T,Bar,B,mimes (number optional)

    Leonard Bernstein
    Peter Pan 120'
    Complete stage version, arranged by Garth Sunderland for quintet
    3S,Bar; TTBB chorus

    Peter Pan (Concert version) 55'
    Concert adaptation, arranged by Garth Sunderland for quintet
    3S,Bar; TTBB chorus

    Trouble in Tahiti 40'
    One act opera in seven scenes, reduced orchestration by Bernard Yannotta
    M,BBar,Jazz trio (S or M,hT,hBar)

    Harrison Birtwistle
    The Io Passion 95'
    Chamber opera
    2S,2Bar,2 actors (man+woman)

    The Corridor 48'
    A scena for soprano, tenor and ensemble
    S,T

    The Cure 56'
    for two singers and ensemble
    S,T

    Detlev Glanert
    Der Engel auf dem Schiff 15'
    Chamber opera based on a text by Thornton Wilder
    S,T,Bar

    Der Engel, der das Wasser bewegte 25'
    Chamber opera based on a text by Thornton Wilder
    S,T,Bar

    Leviathan 18'
    Chamber opera based on a text by Thornton Wilder
    S,T,Bar

    Nijinsky's Diary 95'
    for two singers, two actors, two dancers and instrumental ensemble
    S,Bar,2actors(f/m),2dancers(f/m)

    HK Gruber
    Gloria von Jaxtberg 90'
    Two-act music-theatre work for 5 singers and 9 session musicians plus harp
    S,M,T,Bar,B

    Elena Kats-Chernin
    Matricide: the Musical 75'
    Opera in one act
    6S

    Iphis 70'
    Opera for six singers and nine musicians
    2S,M,2T,Bar

    Arghyris Kounadis
    Der Sandmann 90'
    Ten scenes
    S,M/A,T,Bar,B,speaking role,silent role

    Benjamin Lees
    Medea in Corinth 60'
    A musical drama in one act
    S,M,Bar,B

    Marvin David Levy
    Sotoba Komachi 30'
    Lyric drama in one scene
    S,M,T,BBar,2dancers(male and female)

    David T. Little
    Dog Days 127'
    Opera in three acts for 6 singers, 1 actor and amplified chamber ensemble
    2S,M,2T,Bar,actor

    Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera (chamber version) 40'
    Chamber opera
    3S,T,2Bar

    James MacMillan
    Clemency 45'
    Chamber opera for 5 singers and string orchestra
    S,2T,2Bar

    Peter Maxwell Davies
    Mr Emmet Takes A Walk 60'
    A Dramatic Sonata
    S,Bar,B

    Jacques Offenbach
    Croquefer ou Le Dernier des paladins 45'
    Opéra-bouffe in one act (Stolz version)
    S,3T,Bar

    Purcell-Britten
    Dido and Aeneas 50'
    Opera in three acts, edited by Benjamin Britten and Imogen Holst
    4S,S(orT),3M,T(orBar); chorus

    Steve Reich & Beryl Korot
    Three Tales 60'
    A documentary video opera
    vocal quintet: 2S,3T

    Ned Rorem
    Hearing 22'
    Five Scenes for 4 Singers and 7 Instrumentalists
    S,M,T,Bar

    Mark Simpson
    Pleasure 70'
    Chamber opera
    S,T,B,BBar; pre-recorded TTBB chorus

    Ana Sokolovic
    Love Songs 45'
    Song cycle for female voice and saxophone

    The Midnight Court 70'
    Chamber opera
    4S, 3M, T, 2Bt, cl, acc, vln, db, and perc(2)

    Igor Stravinsky
    Mavra 25'
    Opera buffa in one act, arranged by Paul Phillips or by Winfried Radeke
    S,M,A,T

    Tchaikovsky - Vandré
    Eugene Onegin (reduced version) 150'
    Lyrical Scenes in three acts (seven scenes), chamber scoring by Philipp Vandré
    S,2M,A,2T,Bar,3B,chorus

    Claude Vivier
    Kopernikus 70'
    Opera in 2 acts, for 7 singers, 7 (or 8) players and tape
    2S,M,A,T,Bar,B

  • Chamber opera with piano

  • Jack Beeson
    Practice in the Art of Elocution 30'
    Operina for soprano and piano
    S

    Ned Rorem
    Bertha 25'
    One act opera
    M,5singers doubling roles; small chorus (optional)

    Fables 25'
    Five very short operas
    at least 2 singers, mimes ad lib

    Three Sisters who are not Sisters 35'
    Opera in three acts with piano accompaniment
    2S,M,T Bar

    Ana Sokolovic
    dawn always begins in the bones 50'
    Song cycle for one to four voices and piano; or one to 8 voices and piano

  • Monodramas and dramatic vocal works

  • Michel van der Aa
    One 60'
    Chamber opera for soprano, video and soundtrack
    S

    Blank Out 70'
    Chamber opera for soprano and 3D film
    S

    The Book of Disquiet 75'
    Music theatre for actor, ensemble and film
    actor

    Louis Andriessen
    Anaïs Nin 30'
    for singer (amplified), ensemble and film
    S

    Dominick Argento
    Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night 30'
    Opera monodrama in one act
    colS,2mimes

    A Water Bird Talk 45'
    Opera in one act
    Bar or lowT

    Jack Beeson
    Practice in the Art of Elocution 30'
    Operina for soprano and piano
    S

    David Del Tredici
    Dracula 20'
    for amplified soprano/narrator and ensemble
    S

    Wondrous the Merge 20'
    a melodrama for for narrator-singer (high baritone) and string quartet
    hBar

    Carlisle Floyd
    Flower and Hawk 45'
    monodrama for soprano and orchestra
    S

    The Mystery 17'
    Songs of Motherhood for soprano and orchestra
    S

    Pilgrimage 20'
    Cantata for baritone and orchestra
    Bar

    Osvaldo Golijov
    Ayre 40'
    for soprano and chamber ensemble
    S

    HK Gruber
    Frankenstein!! 28'
    A pan-demonium for baritone chansonnier and ensemble after children's rhymes
    Bar

    David T. Little
    Soldier Songs 60'
    for baritone and amplified septet
    Bar

    Steven Mackey
    Ravenshead 90'
    Monodrama in two acts
    T(actor)

    Peter Maxwell Davies
    Eight Songs for a Mad King 33'
    Music-theatre work for male voice and ensemble
    male voice

    Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot 32'
    Music-theatre work for mezzo-soprano and ensemble
    M

    The Medium 50'
    Monodrama for mezzo-soprano solo
    M

    Iris ter Schiphorst / Helmut Oehring
    Silence Moves I 60'
    Soundtrack for an imaginary film
    Voice

  • A Capella Opera

  • Ana Sokolovic
    Svadba 55'
    six female voices a capella

  • Photo: I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky by John Adams at the Lyon Opera

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