Described by Tippett’s acclaimed biographer, Oliver Soden, as the recording that fills a gaping hole in the history of British opera, providing the missing link between Benjamin Britten and Mark-Anthony Turnage, New Year is a space-aged fairytale opera that moves between two worlds of ‘Somewhere and Today’ and ‘Nowhere and Tomorrow’.
Two worlds collide in Tippett’s New Year as a visitor from the future (‘Nowhere Tomorrow’) helps the central reclusive character escape from their personal fears and fantasies and embrace the frightening urban realities of ‘Somewhere Today’. The cast features: soprano Rhian Lois as Jo Ann, a trainee children’s doctor, baritone Ross Ramgobin as Donny, her young brother; mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley as Nan, their foster mother; baritone Roland Wood as Merlin, the computer wizard; tenor Robert Murray as Pelegrin, the space pilot; soprano Rachel Nicholls as Regan, their boss; and tenor Alan Oke as the Presenter.
01 – New Year, Act I_ Prelude_ Our World Is Wicked
02 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Safe, Safe, Safe
03 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Donny, Donny, Why Are You Here_
04 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Children of the Terror Town
05 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Donny’s Skarade
06 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Stop Now for That’s Enough
07 – New Year, Act I Scene 1_ Waifs and Orphans…
08 – New Year, Act I_ Interlude_ Nowhere…Is Where We Dream We May
09 – New Year, Act I Scene 2_ Tomorrow’s Laboratory
10 – New Year, Act I Scene 2_ Who Is That_
11 – New Year, Act I Scene 2_ Manifest, Manifest Am I
12 – New Year, Act I_ Interlude_ Mysterious Is the Dream
13 – New Year, Act I Scene 3_ I Am Pelegrin…
14 – New Year, Act II_ Prelude_ Watch While They Dance
15 – New Year, Act II Scene 1_ Mummers and Mountebanks
16 – New Year, Act II Scene 1_ The Shaman Dance
17 – New Year, Act II Scene 1_ The Hunt – Round and About… – The Bea
18 – New Year, Act II Scene 2_ Thrice Magic Machine
19 – New Year, Act II Scene 2_ Who, Who Are You, Strange People_
20 – New Year, Act II Scene 2_ Pelegrin…You Betrayed Me
21 – New Year, Act II Scene 2_ Stand Back, Stand Back
22 – New Year, Act II Scene 3_ Hand Clap Him
23 – New Year, Act III_ Prelude_ Our World’s Still Wicked – When the D
24 – New Year, Act III Scene 1_ Donny, Donny, Nan Is Here
25 – New Year, Act III Scene 1_ That Will Do Now
26 – New Year, Act III Scene 1_ Donny’s Dream
27 – New Year, Act III Scene 1_ Pelegrin Is Here
28 – New Year, Act III_ Interlude_ Oh, If We Could See Them in Their S
29 – New Year, Act III Scene 2_ Dark, Dark, Dark
30 – New Year, Act III Scene 2_ The Paradise Dance
31 – New Year, Act III Interlude_ Dancers We Must Hurry, Hurry
32 – New Year, Act III Scene 3_ Finale
33 – New Year, Act III_ Go, Go, Go – Time Must Stand Still