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Edward Rushton
The Shops

The Opera Group • Patrick Bailey, conductor
Darren Abrahams, tenor • Anna Dennis, soprano
Phyllis Cannan, contralto • Richard Burkhard, baritone
Louise Mott, mezzo-soprano • Paul Reeves, bass

NMC D146

NMC D146 Cover The Shops - a comic opera (libretto by Dagny Gioulami)

Edward Rushton's new opera, The Shops is described as 'part satire on rampant consumerism, part psychological thriller'.   Its central character, Christoph Schmalhans, is an obsessive stamp collector.   He manages to steal prize examples from museums with the aid of his girlfriend Francesca, who distracts attention by causing scenes.   His activities eventually attract the interest of the police and psychologists.   In between, there is a running commentary on the phenomenon of shopaholics, along with a song-and-dance number from members of a mutual support group.

This disc was recorded live at the highly acclaimed performances at the Linbury Theatre of the Royal Opera House, London in September 2007 in co-production with BBC Radio 3.


THE SHOPS PART ONE

      Part 1       35'48
  1. Scene 1: Museum     Roger, Curator, Oliver     4'17
  2. Scene 2: Courtroom     Oliver, Christoph, Judge     2'07
  3. Scene 3: Museum     Roger, Curator     0'35
  4. Scene 4: Shop     Christoph, Francesca, Saleswoman     5'08
  5. Scene 5: Consumers' self-help group     Ensemble     1'55
  6. Scene 6: Shop     Francesca     2'10
  7. Scene 7: Museum     Curator, Francesca, Roger, Christoph     2'02
  8. Scene 8: Police station     Oliver, Christoph     3'34
      Scene 8 ½     Queen, Roger; Oliver, Roger, Christoph
  9. Scene 9: Museum     Curator, Roger, Oliver, Adele     1'05
10. Scene 10: Museum     Curator, Francesca, Roger, Christoph     1'36
11. Scene 11: Psychiatrist's consulting room     Cordula     2'17
12. Scene 12: Psychiatrist's consulting room     Cordula, Christoph     4'22
13. Scene 13: Shop     Christoph, Francesca, Saleswoman, Cordula     l'10
14. Scene 14: Consumers' self-help group     Ensemble     3'30

THE SHOPS PART TWO

      Part 2       35'06
15. Scene 15: Christoph's bedroom     Christoph, Francesca, Adele     3'22
16. Scene 16: Museum     Curator, Francesca, Roger, Christoph     2'23
17. Scene 17: Stamp dealer's shop     Oliver, Saleswoman     2'22
18. Scene 18: Police station     Christoph, Oliver, Cordula     9'07
19. Scene 19: Adele's house     Francesca, Adele     2'21
20. Scene 20: Consumers' self-help group     Ensemble     3'14
21. Scene 21: Adele's house     Adele     1'18
22. Scene 22 & 23 (in parallel): Police station     Cordula, Adele/Oliver, Christoph     2'42
23. Scene 24: Police station     Adele, Christoph     3'41
24. Scene 25: Police station     Cordula, Oliver     1'54
25. Scene 26: Police station     0liver, Christoph     2'42

      Total timing     71'13



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