Together with composer Bart Visman I am currently working on an arrangement of the opera Mirandolina by Bohuslav Martinů. We’re translating the original orchestration for large orchestra to a version for large ensemble (16 musicians). Under the baton of Ed Spanjaard, Nieuw Ensemble is going to perform the opera from mid-December on, in a production by Opera Trionfo.

Mirandolina (1953-4) is a comic opera in three acts, with an Italian libretto by the composer – after Carlo Goldoni's comedy The Mistress of the Inn (1751). The work's original title was identical with that of the Goldoni vehicle La locandiera; from the date of its Prague premiere, 17 May 1959, however, it was to be known in the world of opera as Mirandolina, the name of its heroine. It is the character of the innkeeper Mirandolina that attracts most of the attention. Instead of receiving the standard heroic tenor counterpart, she is balanced by no fewer than three male voices: those of the Cavaliere di Rippafratta (bass-baritone), Marquis di Forlimpopoli (bass), and Count d'Albafiorita (tenor). The circle is completed by the characters of Fabrizio the waiter (tenor), and a pair of cameo female parts of the actresses Ortensia (soprano) and Deianira (contralto). Another interesting feature is the incorporation of several spoken dialogues involving the principals into the sung and orchestral stream, to liven up stage action.

In its essence, Mirandolina is really at home in the realm of chamber music, its character being close to that of the early opera intermezzo which was meant to ease up somewhat the solemnity and pomp of serious opera. This is brilliantly exemplified here by the presence of a saltarello, a much loved Italian dance in lively 6/8 metre. For his part, Martinů placed his own dazzling saltarello stylization before Act Three, where it has found its way onto the concert platforms as an orchestral piece existing on its own.