EVA op.481 (March 1996)

Published by: Highbridge Music Ltd
Commissioned by: Gothenburg Opera House
Instrumentation: 2222cbsn 4420 4pc - harp - piano/cel - strings
[Key to Abbreviations]
Note on Lyrics: Scenario by Robert North and Howard Blake
Duration: 90 mins
First Performance: March 8th 1996 Gothenburg Opera House Orchestra and Chorus conducted by the composer, (March 8, 12, 14) and by Fin Rosengren (March 13). Solo Violin, Katerina Andreasson (March 8,13) and Joachim Gustafsson (March 12,14)

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Movements

• 1: ACT 1 BIRTHRITE 35 minutes 00 seconds
  'Foedelserit'
  

  Music composed and orchestrated specially for the ballet

• 2: ACT 2 35 minutes 00 seconds
  A woman's life
  

  Violin Concerto 1st movement/Adagio from 'A Month in the Country'/excerpt Piano Quartet/excerpt Toccata

• 3: ACT 3 24 minutes 00 seconds
  Death and beyond
  

  Slow movement of Violin Concerto/Excerpt Part 3 of 'Benedictus' for chorus and orchestra

Notes

In 1995/6 I created a 3-act ballet, Eva, with choreographer Robert North for the new Gothenburg Opera House. For Act One I composed a new score lasting about 45 minutes called Foedelserit (Birthright)  For acts two and three Robert decided to use excerpts of my existing music - movements from my Violin Concerto and excerpts from Benedictus, A Month in the Country, the Piano Quartet and Toccata, a celebration of the orchestra. The 1st movement of my violin concerto accompanied the young Eva's trials and tribulations in love affairs, making up a substantial part of Act 2. The third act shows Eva as an old woman who dies and in an extraordinary coup de theatre all the other living characters freeze and Eva continues to move- now in the world of her 'after-life'.   Sensing the nature of the slow movement of my Vioin Concerto Robert choreographed what one might trem a 'dance-requiem' which proved to be memorably moving. 

Performances

7th November 2009	Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Hakan Kalkan., Acts Two and Three of the ballet by Robert North/Howard Blake performed with full orchestra, solo violin and SATB chorus (20 performances scheduled over 5 seasons)
4th August 2009	Antalya State Opera House Turkey Robert North and Howard Blake created the ambitious 3-act ballet 'Eva' for Gothenburg Opera House, Sweden in 1996. The first act was newly composed music, lasting about 40 minutes for large orchestra and virtually stands on its own with the sub-title 'Birth-rite'; Acts II & III are to be performed in this version for Turkey which features music from Howard's violin concerto, Toccata for orchestra, A month in the country, piano quartet and the oratorio 'Benedictus'. Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Hakan Kalkan. (The work is scheduled to receive at least 20 performances over 5 seasons
8th March 1996 - 14th March 1996	Howard Blake conducted his new ballet on 8th, 12th and 14th March 1996, each time receiving a stand-up ovation. The performance on 13th March was given by the in-house conductor Fin Rosengren. The solo violin part in acts 2 and 3 was played by Kristina Andreasson (8, 13)and Joachim Gustafson (12, 14), Gothenberg Opera House, Sweden

Reviews

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Robert North and Howard Blake created the ambitious 3-act ballet 'Eva' for Gothenburg Opera House, Sweden in 1996. The first act was newly composed music, lasting about 40 minutes for large orchestra and virtually stands on its own with the sub-title 'Birth-rite'; Acts II & III are to be performed in this version for Turkey which features music from Howard's violin concerto, Toccata for orchestra, A month in the country, piano quartet and the oratorio 'Benedictus'. Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Hakan Kalkan. (The work is scheduled to receive at least 20 performances over 5 seasons)

Antalya State Opera House, Turkey, 1/3/2007

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Howard Blake has created hauntingly original music. His style is tonally rich, dramatic, rhythmically focussed. The orchestra sounds marvellous under his baton.

Svenska Dagbladet, 11/3/1996

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The emotional character of Blake's violin concerto, second movement, was delicately expressed in Katerina Andreasson's sensitive interpretation

Dagens Nyheter, 11/3/1996

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Howard Blake's music takes the leading role in this ballet. It is imaginative, finely balanced and beautiful to listen to...

Gothenburg Post, 10/3/1996

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The ballet is as much Howard Blake's triumph as North's. His score daringly carries us to the heights that he and North have chosen to venture upon. By any standards on the world stage of dance anywhere this is a major achievement.

Nicholas Dromgoole, The Sunday Telegraph, 1996

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