FULL SONYA’S STORY (Neal Thornton) London 2010 Caryl Hughes, Cozmin Sime, Ilana Gorban

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Sonya's Story  
• Composer: Thornton Neal   
• Libretto: Thornton Neal base on Uncle Vanya by Chekhov    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: London, UK  
• Recorded: August 7 & 8, 2010
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Caryl Hughes, Cozmin Sime, Ilana Gorban
• Conductor: Neal Thornton  
• Orchestra:
• Stage Director: Sally Burgess  
• Stage Designer: Charles Phu  
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: tete a tete  
• Date Published: 2010  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  Genesis

  Sonya’s Story began life as Sonya’s Song, written for Sally by Neal 13 years ago. At a performance of Uncle Vanya in the West End, Neal was so inspired by the closing scene he set it to music.

  They performed it often and audiences loved it and were curious. Neal’s idea to extend it, inspired by his personal affinity with Chekhov’s way of seeing the world, and the lyrical nature of his writing, has been brewing for some years. Sonya’s story is the outcome.

  Synopsis

  Sonya’s Story (История Сони) is an operatic setting of text from Anton Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya (Дядя Ваня). It is a new interpretation seen from Sonya’s point of view. It shows what happens around her during that fateful summer, how she reacts to the circumstances she is in, and what she does as result.

  A young woman in her early 20s, living and working in her family’s country estate, Sonya responds to events one tragic summer as the stresses of her life in pre-Revolution Russia come to a head.

  Sonya’s humdrum life is turned upside down when her father and stepmother retire to the estate one summer. She is infatuated by Dr. Astrov, who now visits their house daily since he has fallen in love with Sonya’s attractive young stepmother Yelena. We witness Uncle Vanya’s confrontation and shooting incident with her fathe, and the subsequent return to a resigned normality for Sonya and Uncle Vanya. Sonya finds that acceptance can bring peace.

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