Miss Havisham's Fire is an opera in 2 acts by composer Dominick Argento with an English language libretto by John Olon-Scrymgeour. The work is loosely based on Charles Dickens' 1861 novel Great Expectations, and centers on an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of Aurelia Havisham. Commissioned by the New York City Opera, the work premiered on March 22, 1979, at the New York State Theater at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan.
Miss Havisham's Fire was initially intended to be a farewell vehicle for soprano Beverly Sills, but she pulled out of the project due to illness and was replaced by Rita Shane. The opera received negative to mixed reviews in the press at its premiere and was not mounted again for more than 20 years. Argento revised it into a one-act monodrama entitled Miss Havisham's Wedding Night which Minnesota Opera premiered on May 1, 1981, at the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, conducted by Philip Brunelle.Miss Havisham's Wedding Night, Boosey & Hawkes It was performed under the baton of Gil Rose at Carnegie Hall on November 9, 2017, in a concert by New York City Opera celebrating the composer's 90th birthday."Dominick Argento at 90 Celebration at Carnegie Hall", Boosey & Hawkes, August 2017
In 2001 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis revived the work in a new version by Argento that shortened the opera by more than an hour and made improvements to the work's dramatic structure. This production received a much more positive response from the press.
Roles RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 22 March 1979(Conductor: Julius Rudel)Aurelia Havisham, an elderly reclusesopranoRita ShaneEstella Drummle, as a woman of 1859–60mezzo-sopranoSusanne MarseePhillip Pirrip, as a man of 1859–60baritoneAlan TitusGrace-Helen Broome, as the former governess to Miss Havishammezzo-sopranoElaine BonazziOld Orlick, caretaker at Satis HousebassPaul UkenaYoung Aurelia HavishamsopranoGianna RolandiYoung Estella Drummle, adopted daughter of Miss HavishamtrebleLorna WallachYoung Phillip Pirrip (Pip), as a poor boy of 1846–8boy sopranoRobert SapolskyYoung Grace-Helen Broome, governess to Miss HavishamsopranoMartha SheilYoung OrlickbassJames BrewerJaggers, Miss Havisham's solicitorbassRichard CrossBentley Drummle, man about towntenorJohn LankstonThe Examiner, officiating at the inquestbass-baritoneRalph Bassett Sarah Pocket, relative of Miss HavishamcontraltoRoseMarie Freni Camilla Pocket, relative of Miss HavishamsopranoMartha ThigpenRaymond Pocket, relative of Miss HavishamtenorJonathan Green Pumblechook, Uncle to Pipspoken roleWilliam LedbetterFirst maidsilent roleGwenlynn LittleSecond maidsilent roleEunice HillChorus: guests at the Assembly Ball and servants
References
External links Miss Havisham's Fire, (1979, rev. 1996), Boosey & Hawkes