Overview
Synopsis
The Marquis of Nobile, Edmundo, and his wife, Luc铆a, are having a dinner party after an excellent performance of Lucia di Lammermoor. Naturally, they have invited the leading soprano, Leticia Maynar, as well as the conductor Se帽or Alberto Roc and his wife, the pianist Blanca Delgardo. Their friends Colonel 脕lvaro G贸mez, and Doctor Carlos Conde will be there, as well as the famous explorer Count Ra煤l Yebenes. Silvia, Duchess of 脌vila, will also attend, accompanied by her brother Francisco, and the soon-to-be-married Beatriz and Eduardo. To make it a round dozen, their friends Se帽or Russell and Leonora Palma have also been invited. With some absurd entertainment planned, it promises to be a perfect evening.
So successful was the party, that at the end of the evening no one wants to leave. Or rather, every time they try, they simply turn around and stay. Any attempt to go across the threshold turns into a moment of rest on the sofa, or another conversational delay. After sleeping a night in the drawing room, the guests realise that no matter how hard they try, they simply cannot leave.
Days and weeks pass by in this room, with these people. Sickness claims Se帽or Russell, and madness starts to invade some of the others. With no food, no water, no sanitation, and no way out, desperation leads them to thoughts of murder. But, perhaps there is another key to leaving the room. What if they can retrace their steps and find out where the problem started? Can their lives really be saved by a soprano with a song?
Thomas Ad猫s鈥檚 operatic version of Luis Bu帽uel鈥檚 The Exterminating Angel is an absurd, gory, and darkly farcical piece, which is rapidly becoming one of the most famous operas of the 21st century.
Show Information
- Music
- Thomas Adès
- Libretto
- Tom Cairns
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- The Exterminating Angel (1962) by Luis Buñuel and Luis Alcoriza
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 2016
- Genres
- Dark Comedy, Horror
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Calle de la Providencia, Spain
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Ideal For
- Large Cast, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen Characters
Context
Thomas Ad猫s and Tom Cairns鈥檚 The Exterminating Angel is based on the 1962 film of the same name, by Luis Bu帽uel and Luis Alcoriza. It was commissioned by Salzburg Music Festival, the Royal Opera Covent Garden, the Met and the Royal Danish Opera, and premiered at the Haus f眉r Mozart in Salzburg on July 28, 2016. It received an outstanding critical response at the first performance, and in only the first few years of its existence, is rapidly becoming one of the most well-known operas of the
to read the context for The Exterminating Angel and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prologue
This opera begins before the orchestra tunes. As church bells are heard, a man walks on with his sheep and waits as the audience enters. Over the sound of these bells, the orchestra tunes, the conductor arrives, takes his bow, and takes his place on the podium.
Act One
In the hallway of the Calle de la Providencia mansion, the butler Julio catches one of the footmen, Lucas just as he tries to leave (鈥榊ou! Where d鈥檡ou think you鈥檙e going?鈥�). Lucas tells him he鈥檚 only going
to read the plot for The Exterminating Angel and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Countertenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Act 1
- Prologue - A man with a flock of lambs
Scene 1
- 鈥楨e - You! Where d鈥檡ou think you鈥檙e going?鈥� - Julio, Lucas
Scene 2
- 鈥楥amila, what do we do?鈥� - Meni, Camila, Enrique, Pablo
Scene 3
- 鈥榊a ha ha ha ha ha鈥� - Leticia, Nobile, Colonel, Luc铆a, Russell, Blanca, Roc, Leonora, Silvia, Ra煤l, Francisco, Beatriz, Eduardo, Doctor
- 鈥楾hey鈥檙e here!鈥� - Meni, Camila
- 鈥楬ow strange! Lucas鈥� - Leticia, Nobile, Colonel, Luc铆a, Russell, Blanca, Roc, Leonora, Silvia, Ra煤l, Francisco, Beatriz, Eduardo, Doctor, Meni, Camila
Scene 4
- 鈥楴o, I鈥檝e never tasted it鈥� - Colonel, Blanca, Luc铆a, Nobile, Silvia, Beatriz, Leonora, Francisco, Eduardo, Roc, Russell, Doctor
- The Rago没t Aria 鈥楳y friends, you must all forgive me鈥� - Luc铆a, Colonel, Blanca, Nobile, Silvia, Beatriz, Leonora, Francisco, Eduardo, Roc, Russell, Doctor
- 鈥楬ere it is!鈥� - Luc铆a, Francisco, Enrique, Leticia, Russell, Silvia, Blanca, Nobile, Ra煤l, Roc
Scene 5
- 鈥業鈥檓 just in time!鈥� - Luc铆a, Julio, Pablo, Enrique, Servants
Scene 6
- 鈥榃hat was that?鈥� - Ra煤l, Colonel, Blanca, Leticia, Leonora
- 鈥榃hat鈥檚 your name?鈥� - Eduardo, Beatriz
- 鈥楾onight I feel marvellous鈥� - Leonora, Doctor
- 鈥楩rancisco!鈥� - Silvia, Francisco, Doctor, Leonora, Ra煤l
- 鈥楤rava Blanca鈥� - Silvia, Beatriz, Leonora, Francisco, Eduardo, Nobile, Ra煤l, Colonel, Roc, Doctor, Luc铆a, Blanca, Julio
Scene 7
- 鈥榃hy is nobody leaving鈥� - Colonel, Luc铆a
Scene 8
- 鈥楾hat went well, despite鈥︹€� - Nobile, Luc铆a, Silvia, Colonel, Leticia, Russell, Doctor, Francisco, Ra煤l, Beatriz, Eduardo, Roc, Leticia
- 鈥極ur first night together鈥� - Eduardo, Beatriz
Interlude
Act 2
Scene 1
- 鈥榃hat the hell is happening?鈥� - Julio, Nobile, Luc铆a
- 鈥楬ow did you sleep, Leonora?鈥� - Blanca, Leonora, Silvia, Leticia, Doctor, Russell, Leonora
- 鈥楪entlemen, quickly!鈥� - Colonel, Eduardo, Ra煤l, Silvia, Leticia, Blanca
- The Spoons Aria 鈥楩orgive me, Luc铆a鈥� - Francisco, Luc铆a, Julio
- 鈥楤ut first, would any of the gentlemen鈥� - Julio, Colonel, Luc铆a, Blanca
- 鈥楾he butler鈥檚 strange resistance鈥� - Doctor
Scene 2
- Interlude
- 鈥極ver the sea鈥� - Blanca
- 鈥楾here is a seriously ill man in the room!鈥� - Leticia, Doctor, Colonel, Russell
- 鈥榃e are lost鈥� - Francisco, Silvia, Julio, Beatriz, Eduardo, Ra煤l, Leticia, Roc, Colonel, Leonora
- 鈥榃e must remain completely calm鈥� - Doctor, Beatriz, blanca, Eduardo, Roc, Leticia, Silvia, Francisco, Ra煤l, Colonel
- 鈥楽ilence! I have an idea鈥� - Nobile, Ra煤l, Leticia, Francisco, Russell, Silvia, Luc铆a, Blanca, Leonora, Nobile, Colonel
- 鈥業 am happy鈥︹€� - Russell, Doctor
- 鈥業 don鈥檛 want to die here鈥� - Beatriz, Eduardo Witches鈥� Trio 鈥榃hen I lifted the lid鈥� - Blanca, Silvia, Leticia
- 鈥樎onsummatum est!鈥� - Doctor, Colonel
- 鈥楾his is where the ocean ends鈥� - Eduardo, Beatriz
Act 3
Scene 1
- 鈥榃hat can we do?鈥� - Chorus, Yoli
Scene 2
- 鈥榃ater! Water!鈥� - Leticia, Luc铆a, Silvia, Blanca, Leonora, Francisco, Nobile, Ra煤l, Colonel, Roc, Julio, Doctor
- Obsessive Compulsive Ballet - Leticia, Luc铆a, Silvia, Blanca, Leonora, Francisco, Nobile, Ra煤l, Colonel, Roc, Julio, Doctor
- 鈥業 can鈥檛 stand it anymore鈥� - Francisco, Silvia, Blanca, Luc铆a, Ra煤l, Nobile, Colonel
- Interlude
- 鈥業 think they watch us from time to time鈥� - Leonora
- 鈥楲eonora! My hand!鈥� - Doctor, Blanca, Ra煤l, Leticia
Scene 3
- 鈥榃hat is today?鈥� - Beatriz, Eduardo Lullaby 鈥楩old your body into mine鈥� - Beatriz, Eduardo
Scene 4
- 鈥楢ah! Don鈥檛 touch me!鈥� - Roc, Leticia, Ra煤l, Doctor, Colonel, Leonora
Scene 5
- 鈥楺uiet as a tomb鈥� - Chorus, Lucas, Camila, Meni, Enrique, Pablo, Padre, Yoli,
Scene 6
- 鈥楨dmundo darling鈥� - Luc铆a, Nobile, Ra煤l, Doctor, Blanca, Francisco, Silvia, Leonora
- 鈥業t鈥檚 very late, Yoli鈥� - Silvia, Yoli
- 鈥榃itches incantation鈥� - Blanca, Leonora, Doctor, Francisco, Silvia, Ra煤l, Roc, Nobile
- 鈥榃ait! Don鈥檛 move!鈥� - Leticia
- Leticia鈥檚 Song 鈥榋ion, do you ask of my peace鈥� - Leticia
- The Exit - Chorus, Tutti
- Solemn High Requiem 鈥楲ibera de morte aeternam鈥� - Tutti
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.