FULL MICROmegas (Tom Floyd) London 2013 Alex Bevan, Jan Capinski, Richard Downing, Robert Garland

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: MICROmegas  
• Composer: Floyd Tom  
• Libretto: David Spittle    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: London, UK  
• Recorded: August 10 & 11, 2013
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Alex Bevan, Jan Capinski, Richard Downing, Robert Garland, Sophie Goldrick, Emily Griffiths
• Conductor:   
• Orchestra:
• Stage Director: Anna Koukoullis  
• Stage Designer: Cecile  
• Costume Designer: Jamie Platt  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: tete a tete  
• Date Published: 2014  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  This is Tom Floyd‘s third chamber opera, and the second to be produced at Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival. Since the premiere of his adaptations of The Nightingale and The Rose (2010), he has been working with librettist David Spittle and the Shadow Opera Group. Tom is currently studying for a Masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music.

  Genesis

  This project is the third opera the Shadow Opera Group have produced, and is a work-­‐in-­‐progress. Tonight’s performance forms the first act of what will eventually be a two act opera, due to be performed in its entirety in Spring 2014. Taking Voltaire’s short story, MICROMEGAS is a sci-­‐fi romp across the universe, with values of truth, knowledge and perspective at its heart.

  Synopsis

  SCENE ONE – A giant by any human standard, Micromegas is being tried in court on charges of blasphemy. He has written a natural history book, but in it he has compared the nature of fleas to snails. In this society, the snail is hailed as being sacred, and the judge is eager to punish Micromegas. Micromegas vows to travel the universe in search of knowledge and truth.

  SCENE TWO – Meanwhile, on earth, some humans are sailing home from an exploration of their own. They’ve been to study the Arctic, but the trip was unsuccessful. Despite this, The Captain singsheartily of their bravery. As The Captain and The Poet argue, The Cartographer looks for company in the form of Pere Jules – a drunken old sea-­‐dog. Waking from his stupor, Pere Jules tells The Cartographer of his bizarre life.

  SCENE THREE – The monks of Saturn gloomily scribe away in their academy, writing of the inner-­‐worlds, whilst their apprentice tries to lift their spirits. Micromegas arrives, and is charmed by this pygmy planet. He takes a liking to the apprentice and names him ‘Dwarf’. Micromegas convinces Dwarf to leave Saturn, and his beloved Barbra, in order to travel the universe with him.

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