The Grapes of Wrath
An Opera in Three Acts
Libretto by Michael Korie
Carl Fischer Music
Duration: 190 min.
Voices: 13 principal singing roles – Soprano, 2 Mezzo-sopranos, 3 Tenors, 4 Baritones, Bass-baritone, Boy Soprano, Girl Soprano; 5 featured singers (doubling various roles): Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass; Chorus: SATB (div.))
Instrumentation: 2(II=Picc).2(II=Eng. Hn.).2(II=Bs Cl & Eb Cl).2(II=Cbsn)-asax.tsax(bsax)-4.3.2.1-timp-perc(2)-guit(banjo)-hca-synth-hp-str
Premiere: February 10, 2007. Minnesota Opera, original Stage Direction and Dramaturgy by Eric Simonson; Ordway Theater, Minneapolis, MN.
Commission: Commissioned by Minnesota Opera and Utah Opera
Purchasing & Rentals: Available through Theodore Presser.
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Notes
Premiered at the Minnesota Opera in 2007, The Grapes of Wrath is a full-scale opera with libretto by Michael Korie, now available in its entirety from Carl Fischer Music. Based on the Pulitzer prize-winning 1939 novel by John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath was named “the great American opera” by Musical America, and Los Angeles Times critic Mark Swed wrote that: “…the greatest glory of the opera is Gordon’s ability to musically flesh out the entire 11-member Joad clan…Gordon’s other great achievement is to merge Broadway and opera… greatly enhanced by his firm control over ensembles and his sheer love for the operatic voice.” A recording of the world premiere production at the Minnesota Opera is available separately from PS Classics (PS-866).
Press
American Record Guide (Burkhardt Reiter, March/April 2009)
Arts Journal Blog (David Patrick Stearns, 19 April 2024)
Backstage (David Sheward, 28 Aug. 2019)
Barry Singer on The Arts and Otherwise (29 Apr 2024)
Between the Lines (8 May 2019)
The Blade (Wayne F. Anthony, 8 May 2019)
Bloomberg Muse (Alan Rich, 8 September 2008)
Brewminate (Eric A. Gordon, 1 June 2019)
Broadway Stars (Michael Portantiere, 15 March 2010)
Broadway World (Monica Simoes, 23 March 2010)
Broadway World (Steve Callahan, 31 May 2017)
Broadway World (Chloe Rabinowitz, 3 April 2024)
Classical Singer (Genette Freeman, May 2007)
Deseret Morning News (Edward Reichel, 15 May 2007)
Deseret Morning News (Edward Reichel, 30 December 2007)
Deseret Morning News (Edward Reichel, 6 May 2007)
Deseret Morning News (Edward Reichel, 6 May 2007)
Detroit Free Press (Gregory Crawford, 8 May 2019)
Detroit News (Erica Hobbs, 5 April 2019)
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Detroit Opera (formerly, Michigan Opera Theatre, 11 May 2019)
Detroit Opera (formerly Michigan Opera Theatre, 12 May 2019)
Downtown Monitor (Ruth Crystal-Zaromp, 9 May 2019)
Downtown Monitor (Ruth Crystal-Zaromp, 16 May 2019)
Encore Michigan (David Kiley, 12 May 2019)
Jay Harvey Upstage (Jay Harvey, 20 June 2017)
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LA Times (Chris Pasles, 13 April 2007)
LA Times (Mark Swed, 17 February 2007)
LA Times (Mark Swed, 31 March 2007)
Ladue News (Mark Bretz, 31 May 2017)
Ladue News (Mark Bretz, 20 December 2017)
Lake Champlain Weekly (Benjamin Pomerance, 20 March 2019)
Minnesota Monthly (Tim Gihring, February 2007)
MN Star Tribune (Ann Markusen, 11 February 2007)
The New Yorker (Alex Ross, 5 March 2007)
Oakland Press (Gary Graff, 10 May 2019)
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Pittsburgh’s Out Magazine (John D. Pine, November 2008)
Playbill (Meg Masseron & Natan Zamansky, 3 April 2024)
Prairie Home Companion (17 February 2007)
ReviewsSTL (Rob Levy, 3 June 2017)
Salt Lake City Weekly (Stephen Dark, 10 May 2007)
Salt Lake Tribune (Catherine Reese Newton, 14 May 2007)
Salt Lake Tribune (Catherine Reese Newton, 29 December 2007)
Salt Lake Tribune (Catherine Reese Newton, 5 May 2007)
Seen and Heard (Rick Perdian, 20 April 2024)
St. Louis Eats and Drinks (Joe and Ann Pollack, 30 May 2017)
St. Louis Magazine (Robert W. Duffy, 1 June 2017)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Sarah Bryan Miller, 19 May 2017)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Sarah Bryan Miller, 28 May 2017)
St. Louis Public Radio (Nancy Fowler, 25 May 2017)
St. Louis Today (Sarah Bryan Miller, 30 December 2017)
Stage Left (Chuck Lavazzi, 18 June 2017)
Standard-Enquirer (Nancy Van Valkenburg, 11 May 2007)
Stateside: WUOM FM Michigan Radio (14 May 2019)
TheaterMania (Linda Buchwald, 3 April 2024)
TwinCities.com (Dominic P. Papatola, 12 February 2007)
TwinCities.com (Dominic P. Papatola, 28 December 2007)
TwinCities.Com (Ron Hubbard, 29 December 2007)
Two on the Aisle (Gerry Kowarsky , June 2017)
Variety Review (Quinton Skinner, 16 February 2007)
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Ricky Ian Gordon & Michael Korie:
Minnesota Opera
Premiere Production, 2007
Photos by Michal Daniel.
Pittsburgh Opera
Photos by David Bachman
Carnegie Hall
Photos by Erin Baiano
MasterVoices at Carnegie Hall
2024
Photos by Toby Tenenbaum
