Opera Buffa in 3 acts.
Music: Daniel Nelson
Libretto: Sofia Fredén after the novel by Jane Austen.
Commissioned by the Vadstena Academy.
First performance: 21 July 2011, Vadstena Castle, Vadstena, Sweden.
Elisabeth Meyer (Lizzy), John Kinell (Mr. Darcy), Sofie Asplund (Lydia),
Martin Vanberg (Mr. Wickham), Sara P Eriksson (Charlotte), Thomas Sepp
(Mr. Collins), Hélène Kimblad (Mrs. Bennet), Mikael Axelsson (Mr. Bennet),
Magdalena Risberg (Jane), Jesper Säll (Mr. Bingley).
Conductor: David Björkman.
Vadstena Academy Opera Orchestra.
Directors and choreographers: Clara Svärd, Nils Spangenberg, Johanna Hybinette.
Stage design and costumes: Ulrika Wedin.
Lighting designer: Jimmy Ström.
Mask design: Katrin Wahlberg.
Duration: 140 min.
Publisher: Swedish Music Information Center.
Lizzy – soprano
Mr. Darcy – baritone
Lydia – soprano
Mr. Wickham – tenor
Charlotte – mezzosoprano
Mr. Collins – baritone
Mrs. Bennet – alto/mezzosoprano
Mr. Bennet – bassbaritone
Jane – soprano
Mr. Bingley – tenor
Steward at Pemberley – spoken role
fl (alt. picc), ob, cl (alt. b.cl), hn, tpt, hrp, perc (1 player), pno, 2 vln, vla, vc, db (can also be played with an augmented string section).
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Act 1
The Bennets are at a ball in Hertfordshire in southern England. The Bennet family is comprised of Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, and their three daughters: the oldest, Jane, the middle daughter, Lizzy, and last but not least the youngest, Lydia. With them also is Lizzy’s best friend, Charlotte Lucas.
Mrs. Bennet is in search of an appropriate husband for any, or preferably, all of her daughters. Due to the entail law, she and her daughters will be penniless when Mr. Bennet dies as their estate must be inherited by a male relative. In the case of the Bennets it is a distant cousin, Mr. Collins.
Mr. Bingley, a wealthy gentleman who rents a rural castle in the area, arrives at the ball accompanied by his best friend, the even richer Mr. Darcy. There is an immediate attraction between Mr. Bingley and Jane. The successful evening is marred only by Mr. Darcy’s presence, especially for Lizzy as she always seems to be the butt of his condescending manners.
Later in the evening, Mr. Wickham, an officer from the local regiment, arrives at the ball. He is popular with the ladies, especially with Lydia. Mr. Wickham also has insight about Mr. Darcy, in whose home he grew up…
Act 2
A week has passed, and at the Bennet’s house, Longbourn, Charlotte and the Bennets are waiting for Mr. Bingley. Instead, Mr. Wickham shows up. Everything is fine until Mr. Collins suddenly makes his entrance. He has a suggestion that would secure the future of the Bennet daughters – he intends to marry one of them! He prefers Jane but on Mrs. Bennet’s advice he chooses Lizzy. She, however, declines his invites. After the rejected Mr. Collins has stormed off, Mr. Wickham talks about his and Mr. Darcy’s past, and laments how it has affected his financial security. Quite unexpectedly Mr. Darcy shows up. He wants to talk to Lizzy but his purpose remains unclear.
More time has now passed, the first snow falls and the family is still waiting. Charlotte comes to share city gossip. She has news about Mr. Bingley, about Mr. Wickham, and about herself. She reveals that she is soon going to marry Mr. Collins.
Act 3
Winter progresses, but at Longbourn still nothing is happening. Mrs. Bennet takes action and sends Jane to London where Mr. Bingley resides. Lydia will be off to Brighton where she will meet the local regiment. The plan is for Lizzy to stay at home – much to Mr. Bennet’s delight. But Lizzy does not want to stay at home and she goes for a walk in the woods.
Suddenly, Mr. Darcy appears. He says he loves her, despite her lower station in life. Lizzy declares that she does not reciprocate his feelings. He leaves her with the promise to write a letter that will tell the truth about himself and his involvement in Mr. Bingley’s hasty departure from Jane, and in Mr. Wickham’s fate.
Lizzy decides to take a trip. She goes first to visit Charlotte and Mr. Collins, and then to Derbyshire where she falls in love with the landscape and with Pemberley castle, unaware that it is the home of Mr. Darcy. When the master of the house unexpectedly returns home, they meet again.
In Brighton, Lydia and Mr. Wickham meet and elope to a seedy hotel in London. Lydia’s foolishness has devastated the family’s future, and the scandal is a fact! Lizzy and Jane return home at once to Longbourn. As do Lydia and Mr. Wickham whom to the relief of the Bennet family are newlyweds. Lydia tells the family that, in fact, Mr. Darcy is the one who has paid for the wedding and all of Mr. Wickham’s debts. The Bennet family reputation is saved.
Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy come to visit and everything is now different…