The opera, written by British film composer Michael Nyman, who wrote the music for “The Piano,” among others, is based on the Oliver Sacks’ “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.” The 1985 nonfiction book by the famed neurologist and author (“Awakenings”) delves into case studies of patients with perceptual and intellectual aberrations.
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Operas by Michael Nyman |
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Tristram Shandy |
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hatis a one-act chamber opera by Michael Nyman to anEnglish-language librettoby Christopher Rawlence, adapted from the case study of the same name byOliver Sacks byNyman, Rawlence, and Michael Morris. It was first performedat the Institute of ContemporaryArts, London, on 27October 1986.
The minimalistscore makes use of songs by Robert Schumann, in particular, 'Ich grolle nicht' from Dichterliebe, inwhich Dr. S. accompanies Dr. P., singing the ossia as a descant. Mrs. P. plays the piano, the actoractually playing if possible.
Roles
Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 27 October 1986 (Conductor: ) |
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Dr. S., the neurologist | tenor | |
Dr. P., a singer and music professor | baritone | |
Mrs. P., his wife (The Hat) | soprano |
Synopsis
The plot concerns the investigation by a neurologist of the condition of a singerwho suffers from visual agnosia. According to the linernotes, Morris, Rawlence, and Nyman had to spend much timeconvincing the real Mrs. P. (whose husband is implied to have beena known name) that they were not proposing a musical (her word) that would trivializeher late husband's situation in order to gain her consent.
Film
Rawlence made a film version in 1987. It made brief omissionsfrom the music (most notably the self-referential line, 'That'sNyman! Can't mistake his body rhythm,' when Dr. P. is watching television) and addeddocumentary segments with Sacks and pathologist John Tigheworking with the actual Dr. P.'s brain. They reveal that hiscondition was the result of Alzheimer'sDisease that atypically affected only one portion of his brainuntil its latter stages. Unusually for an opera film not shot on atheatre stage, the singing was recorded live on-set by boomoperators.
Returning from the original cast were Emile Belcourt as Dr. S.and Frederick Westcott as Dr. P. Patricia Hooper replaced SarahLeonard as Mrs. P. The Michael Nyman Band appearedon-screen as Dr. P.'s students. Originally distributed on VHS by Films, Inc., its rarity hascaused it to become a popular bootleg favorite.
Recording
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat | ||
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Design by Howard Fritzson (Showing the manswife) painting: DavidBomberg, Lyons Café, 1912 | ||
Studio album by Michael Nyman | ||
Released | 1988 | |
Recorded | 1987 | |
Genre | Opera, Contemporary classicalmusic, minimalism | |
Length | 57:05 | |
Language | English, German | |
Label | CBSMasterworks | |
Producer | David Cunningham, MichaelNyman | |
Michael Nymanchronology | ||
And Do They Do/ZooCaprices 1986 | The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat 1988 | Drowning byNumbers 1988 |
CBS Masterworks MK44669 (1987); Emile Belcourt (tenor), SarahLeonard (soprano), Frederick Westcott (baritone), Alexander Balanescu (first violin),Jonathan Carney (second violin), Kate Musker (viola), Moray Welsh(first cello), Anthony Hinnigan (second cello), HelenTunstall (harp), conducted by the composer. Carney, Musker, andHinnigan, who will make up the first lineup of the BalanescuQuartet, make their first of many appearances on a Nyman albumwith this release.
Externallinks
- Synopsis and track-listing ofthe recording, plus links to reviews
Decay Music Recent English ExperimentalMusic ·ThePavilion of Dreams Mozart/Webern Michael Nyman Tristram Shandy Vertical FeaturesRemake ·The Falls
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