Joyce DiDonato, Ailyn Pérez, Frederica Von Stade. Nathan Gunn, Anthony Ross Costanzo Great Scott

Erato

£17.28

Format: DVD
ICPN: 0190295157470
Release Date: 12th March 2021
Genre: Classical

Recording dates and place: Live recording: October 30, November 1, 4, 7, 15, 2015; The Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

DVD specs:
• Running time: 158 Minutes Colour NTSC systems
• Disc Format: DVD-9 Sound Format: Dolby Digital 2.0 & DTS 5.0 Menu language: English
• Subtitles: ENG / Sung in English
• This is a region-free NTSC DVD, designed for playback on all NTSC and modern PAL compatible systems worldwide

Life meets art
Joyce DiDonato stars in a live world-premiere recording
of an opera written for her:
GREAT SCOTT by Jake Heggie

In Great Scott, the Kansas-born mezzo-soprano, one of today’s best-loved classical singers, creates a role conceived specifically with her in mind. The character she plays, Arden Scott, just happens to be an opera star, and she is the lynchpin of what Fred Plotkin of WQXR, the USA’s leading classical music radio station, welcomed as a “deeply moving and musically brilliant work” that “should enter the standard repertory just as Heggie’s two previous masterpieces – Dead Man Walking and Moby-Dick – already have”.

Based on an original story by McNally, Great Scott is set in a large American city that has a respected but struggling opera company and a thriving professional football team. International opera star Arden Scott has returned to her hometown to save American Opera, the company that launched her career, but the opening night performance of the long-lost opera she discovered (Rosa Dolorosa, Figlia di Pompei) falls on the same night as the home football team’s first national championship (Go Grizzlies!). The fate of the company hangs in the balance as Arden is forced to consider the sacrifices she has made and discovers that true greatness is a matter of heart.
Jake Heggie, who has been described as US opera’s most successful composer, chose the celebrated playwright Terence McNally as his librettist for Great Scott. The two previously collaborated on the gripping Dead Man Walking, which has become something of a modern classic since its premiere in 2000. Joyce DiDonato first performed its central role, Sister Helen Prejean, at New York City Opera in 2002 and in concert stagings in London and Madrid in January/February 2018, coinciding with the album release of Great Scott. It was conducted by Patrick Summers and directed by Jack O’Brien with sets and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Brian MacDevitt and projections by Elaine J. McCarthy.

TRACKLIST
Great Scott
American Opera in Two Acts
Music by Jake Heggie
Story & Libretto by Terrence McNally
World Premiere in Dallas on October 30, 2015
The Winspear Opera House
at the AT&T Performing Arts Center

ACT ONE: IN REHEARSAL 78:40
1 Overture 7:21
2 And that, ladies and gentlemen 1:47 (Eric, Tatyana, Winnie, Anthony, Wendell, Roane)
3 From Number 11 4:36 (Eric, Roane, Winnie, Tatyana, Wendell, Anthony, Arden, Chorus)
4 Vesuvio, il mio unico amico 5:03 (Arden, Winnie, Wendell, Tatyana)
5 Five years ago, I was in St. Petersburg 4:14 (Arden, Tatyana, Winnie, Wendell, Eric)
6 La mia schiava prigioniera! 4:57 (Tatyana, Arden, Anthony, Wendell, Roane, Winnie, Eric, Chorus)
7 And we are on a break! 1:05 (Roane, Ensemble)
8 Talk to me about Roane, Winnie 3:56 (Eric, Winnie, Roane)
9 The writing’s on the wall 2:51 (Roane, Eric, Anthony, Wendell)
10 La la la la la la la 2:03 (Anthony, Wendell, Winnie)
11 I want to be America’s soprano 5:13 (Tatyana, Anthony, Wendell, Eric, Winnie)
12 Young, ambitious and a huge talent 5:57 (Arden, Winnie)
13 Oh Mrs. F, I wanted to be famous and wonderful 3:34 (Arden, Winnie)
14 Sorry Tommy’s late 10:42 (Sid, Tommy, Arden, Winnie, Roane)
15 And we are back 5:12 (Roane, Wendell, Anthony, Eric, Tatyana, Arden, Chorus, Tommy, Winnie)
16 I get scared, too, Tommy 4:36 (Arden, Tommy, Eric)
17 And we are all dancing! / The Fountain Dance 1:38 (Eric, Chorus, Voice)
18 It’s a disaster 3:46 (Winnie, Eric, Arden, Amor, Wendell, Tatyana, Anthony, Roane, Chorus, Tommy)

ACT TWO: IN PERFORMANCE 77:19
19 Prelude 1:59
Scene 1: The Starry Spangled Banner
20 Ladies and Gentlemen 4:09 (Announcer, Tatyana, Troopers)
Scene 2: Backstage
21 Arden, you have seen the future 4:04 (Arden, Winnie, Eric, Roane, Wendell, Anthony)
Scene 3: Rosa Dolorosa, Act One
22 Ah! Tremo! 6:32 (Chorus, Arden, Anthony, Wendell, Tatyana, Tommy)
Scene 4: Backstage
23 I thought that went extremely well 1:58 (Anthony, Arden, Wendell, Tommy, Eric, Tatyana)
Scene 5: Arden’s Dressing Room
24 It’s open, Roane 7:04 (Arden, Sid, Roane)
25 I don’t care how good what was 4:21 (Roane, Arden, Eric, Wendell, Anthony)
26 You’ll never be her 2:49 (Arden)
27 Maestro Bazzetti, are you there? 1:47 (Arden, Ghost of Vittorio Bazzetti)
28 Look for me, I’m there on every page 6:22 (Bazzetti, Arden)
29 All that you leave behind 3:30 (Bazzetti, Arden)
30 Arden. Arden! You’re not dressed for the Mad Scene! 1:02 (Roane, Arden)
Scene 6: In the Wings
31 No man over twenty should be asked to wear a toga 1:03 (Anthony, Wendell)
Scene 7: Rosa Dolorosa, Act Two
32 La bellissima Agrippina 4:07 (Chorus, Arden, Anthony, Wendell, Tatyana)
33 Padre divino (Rosa’s Prayer) 3:12 (Arden, Tatyana, Anthony, Wendell, Tommy, Chorus)
34 Io sola posso salvare Pompei (Finale) 4:58 (Arden, Chorus)
Scene 8: Curtain Calls
35 Applause / Mrs. Flato, I’m so sorry about the Grizzlies 1:38 (Arden, Winnie)
36 Thank you for your wonderful support 3:13 (Winnie, Arden, All)
Scene 9: Arden’s Dressing Room
37 Look at the chat boards 4:58 (Eric, Winnie, Roane, Arden, Anthony, Wendell, Tatyana)
38 It’s always the song, not the singer 4:10 (Arden, Roane, Tatyana, Winnie)
Scene 10: Center Stage
39 Wow. You’re beautiful 2:17 (Sid, Arden, Tommy)
40 The empty theater 2:04

41 Curtain Calls and credits 1:49

Arden Scott Joyce DiDonato
Tatyana Bakst Ailyn Pérez
Winnie Flato Frederica von Stade
Sid Taylor Nathan Gunn
Roane Heckle Anthony Roth Costanzo
Eric Gold/Vittorio Bazzetti Kevin Burdette
Anthony Candolino Rodell Rosel
Wendell Swann Michael Mayes

Orchestra and Chorus of The Dallas Opera
Patrick Summers conductor

Jack O’Brien, Stage Director