Tobias Picker, hailed as "a genuine creator" by The New Yorker, has written extensively for the stage and for symphonic forces, and these two approaches are represented in this album. The Encantadas (an older name for the Galapagos Islands) derives from a novella by Herman Melville. Picker has set it as a melodrama, exploring the enchanted isles in all their quietly menacing and spectacular beauty. In a radical new form, Picker's Opera Without Words is set to a libretto by Irene Dische that has now been removed, allowing the music alone to bear the expressive richness and intensity of this "secret opera." Tobias Picker has been commissioned to write numerous works in other genres, including operas, three symphonies, concertos for violin, viola, cello and oboe, four piano concertos and chamber music. His many honors include the 2020 GRAMMY Award for Best Opera Recording (Fantastic Mr. Fox). Picker is a lifetime member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is artistic director of the Tulsa Opera, a post he has held since 2016.

Tracklist:

The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): I. Dream
The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): II. Desolation
The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): III. Delusion
The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): IV. Diversity
The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): V. Din
The Encantadas (Version For Narrator & Orchestra): VI. Dawn
Opera Without Words, Scene 1: The Beloved
Opera Without Words, Scene 2: The Minstrel
Opera Without Words, Scene 3: The Idol
Opera Without Words, Scene 4: The Gladiator
Opera Without Words, Scene 5: The Farewell

UPC: 636943985328
Label: Naxos American
Release Date: 8.28.20
Format: CD

Picker / Picker / Guerrero - Opera Without Words (CD)