Previn and North meet Tennessee Williams

Synopsis

It's frequently said that few contemporary operas get staged a second or third time in quick succession after their premiere performances. That's NOT the case with "A Streetcar Named Desire," André Previn's successful opera based on the classic Tennessee Williams play. The operatic version of "Streetcar" had its premiere in San Francisco on today's date in 1998, with a cast headed by soprano Renée Fleming. That San Francisco production was captured on compact disc and DVD, but since then, other American opera companies have staged Previn's new opera as well.

Famous as a conductor, jazz pianist, and film score composer, Previn writes that he jumped at the chance to set "Streetcar" to music: "There was no way I was going to say no. The idea of writing an opera is irresistible to anyone who composes."

Williams' play proved irresistible to at least one other American composer besides Previn. After its successful run on Broadway, "Streetcar" was made into an even more successful motion picture in 1951. Vivien Leigh won an Oscar for best actress. Marlon Brando was nominated as best actor. The picture was also nominated for best musical score. That score was by the American composer, Alex North, who in 1952, arranged his film music into the jazzy dance scenario for the American Ballet Theatre. His "Streetcar" ballet was revived in 1982 at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and remained in their repertory.

Music Played in Today's Program

André Previn (b. 1929) A Streetcar Named Desire Renée Fleming, soprano; San Francisco Opera Orchestra; André Previn, cond. DG 459 366

Alex North (1910 – 1991) A Streetcar Named Desire filmscore London Symphony; Eric Stern, cond. Nonesuch 79446

On This Day

Births

• 1829 - Music publisher Gustav Schirmer, in Königsee, Thuringia; He came to America in 1840 with his parents, and in 1861 founded in New York City the music publishing house that bears his name, G. Schirmer, Inc.;

• 1911 - Swedish composer Allan Pettersson, in Västra Ryd;

Deaths

• 1949 - Greek composer Nikos Skalkottas, age 45, in Athens;

• 1972 - French composer and pianist Robert Casadesus, age 73, in Paris;

Premieres

• 1894 - Brahms: two Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120, at a private performance in the home of the sister of the Duke of Meiningen at Berchtesgaden, by clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld (of the Grand Ducal Orchestra of Meiningen) with the composer at the piano; Brahms and Mühlfeld also gave private performances of both sonatas on November 10-13, 1894, in Frankfurt (for Clara Schumann and others); on November 14, 1894, at Castle Altenstein (for the Duke of Meiningen); and on Jan. 7, 1895, in Vienna (for members of the Tonkünstler Society); The first public performances of the two sonatas took place in Vienna on January 8 (Sonata No. 2) and 11 (Sonata No. 2), 1895, with the same performers, as part of the Rosé Quartet's chamber music series;

• 1908 - Mahler: Symphony No. 7 ("Song of the Night"), in Prague, with the composer conducting;

• 1927 - Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 3, in Vienna, by the Kolisch Quartet;

• 1937 - Hanson: Symphony No. 3 (partial performance), on a CBS Radio Symphony concert conducted by the composer; The first complete performance occurred with the rival network's NBC Symphony, again with the composer conducting, on March 26, 1938;

• 1970 - Morton Feldman: "The Viola in My Life" No. 1 for viola and orchestra, in London;

• 1998 - André Previn: opera "A Streetcar Named Desire," with cast including Rene Fleming, by the San Francisco Opera, the composer conducting;

• 1998 - Michael Torke: "Jasper" for orchestra, by the Madison (Wisc.) Symphony, John DeMain conducting;

• 1999 - Elmer Bernstein: Guitar Concerto, with Honolulu Symphony conducted by Samuel Wong and soloist Christopher Parkening;

• 2002 - John Adams: "On the Transmigration of Souls" for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting;

• 2002 - John Adams: “On the Transmigration of Souls” for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting;

Others

• 1725 - J.S. Bach gives organ recitals in the Sophienkirche, Dresden, on Sept. 19 and 20;

• 1738 - Oratorio librettist Charles Jennens writes to a young relative describing a visit to Handel the previous day, dismayed by Handel's ideas for their collaboration on the oratorio "Saul": "Mr. Handel's head is more full of maggots than ever . . ." (Gregorian date: Sept. 30).