The opera "Jane Eyre" won the Center for Contemporary Opera's 2012 competition for new works and had its fully-staged world premiere in October 2016.
Performer Biography
Two singers in this recording, soprano Katrina Thurman (Blanche Ingram) and baritone Thomas Meglioranza (Roderick Ingram/St. John Rivers), appear in roles written for them by composer Louis Karchin, having previously performed in his opera "Romulus."
Composition History
Louis Karchin's opera "Jane Eyre" was composed between 2010 and 2014 and is his largest project to date.
Compositional Technique
The opera "Jane Eyre" includes musical allusions to Donizetti's operas, particularly "Lucia di Lammermoor" with its 'mad' scene, as Rochester is depicted as an opera lover.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer Louis Karchin intentionally used a wide-ranging harmonic language in "Jane Eyre" to create contrast and emphasize drama and character.
Recording & Production
This recording of "Jane Eyre" features all the singers from the original 2016 world premiere production, who had already honed their musical and dramatic interpretations on stage.
Compositional Technique
The libretto for "Jane Eyre" compresses Charlotte Brontë's novel, opening with Jane as a governess already serving Edward Rochester and a fire in his bedroom.
