El Niño (opera) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids El Niño |
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| by John Adams | |
Composer John Adams, 2008
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| Genre | Opera-oratorio |
| Librettist | Peter Sellars |
| Language | English |
| Premiere | December 15, 2000: Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris |
El Niño is a special kind of musical work called an opera-oratorio. It was created by the famous American composer John Adams. An opera-oratorio is like a play with music, but it's often performed in a concert hall without costumes or sets.
This work first showed on December 15, 2000. It happened at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France. Many talented singers and musicians performed it. These included soloists like Dawn Upshaw and Willard White. There were also groups like Theatre of Voices and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Kent Nagano was the conductor, leading all the music.
El Niño tells the classic Christmas story. The first part focuses on Mary's thoughts before Jesus was born. The second part covers what happened after his birth. This includes the story of King Herod and the early life of Jesus.
The words for El Niño come from many places. They include parts of the King James Bible. There are also lines from old plays called the Wakefield Mystery Plays. Other texts come from the Gospel of Luke and some ancient gospels. Poems by writers like Rosario Castellanos and Gabriela Mistral are also used. The composer John Adams and the librettist Peter Sellars also added their own words.
Contents
Musical Performers and Instruments
This musical piece needs many different performers. It uses singers called sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, and baritones. There is also a special group of three countertenors.
The music is played by an orchestra of about 45 musicians. This orchestra includes instruments like guitars. It also uses a sampling keyboard, which can make many different sounds. There are also two choirs: a main chorus and a children's chorus.
El Niño can be performed in two ways. It can be a staged show, like a play. Or it can be a concert, where the musicians just play the music. The first show in Paris had dance and film parts.
History of Performances
El Niño has been performed in many places around the world.
First American Performances
The first time El Niño was performed in America was on January 11, 2001. This show took place at Davies Hall in San Francisco. Kent Nagano conducted the San Francisco Symphony. The same main singers from the Paris show also performed.
Later, in November 2002, students at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music performed it. This was the first time a university performed the work.
Other Notable Shows
In March 2003, the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed El Niño in New York. They played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
In May 2003, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus also performed the work. They played it again the next month at the Ravinia Festival.
A new and interesting show happened in May 2014. This performance used puppets instead of dancers and film. It was part of the Spoleto Festival USA. John La Bouchardière directed this unique production.
Musical Sections
El Niño lasts about two hours. It is divided into two main parts. These parts are then split into thirteen smaller sections.
| Part 1 | Part 2 |
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Recordings
You can find recordings of El Niño to listen to or watch:
- 2000: A DVD video of the original Paris show. It features the same singers and conductor.
- 2001: A 2-CD audio recording of the original Paris cast. This was released by Nonesuch Records.
See also
In Spanish: El Niño (oratorio) para niños
- Tlatelolco massacre
