A Chamber Christmas Carol
Ray Leslee
About this work:
The first performance of A Chamber Christmas Carol was at The Morgan Library & Museum, on Friday, Dec 17, 2010. Starring Dominic Chianese (of the Sopranos)
as Scrooge, directed by Casey Biggs and conducted by Marc Irwin. The text is by Charles Dickens; text adapted and original music by Ray Leslee .
This is the Dickens masterpiece done in an entirely new way, adapted for just five actors and five musicians! Mr. Chianese played Scrooge while the other actors played some 35 roles in a miracle of traffic and doubling. It’s an original kind of concert-theatre -- a musical without singing. (Except for one song sung by Tiny Tim, a boy soprano.) The virtuoso performers were from the American Symphony Orchestra, the Meredian Arts Ensemble (recording), as well as Broadway shows such as Memphis, Chicago, Scottsboro Boys, West Side Story, Sunday in the Park with George, Caroline Or Change, Oklahoma, and Sweeney Todd, to name a few. Besides his legendary TV role, Mr. Chianese’s rich Broadway history includes Requiem For A Heavyweight and Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tatoo, as well as the classic film The Godfather, Part II.
The Morgan Library and Museum was sold-out for the concert.
Year composed: 2010
Duration: 01:45:40
Ensemble type: Opera/Theater:Music Theater
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Woodwinds (recorder, piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clar, alto sax); Violin, Trombone, Piano, Double Bass