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Philip Norman  

A Christmas Carol

Duration: 1h 40' 00" Year: 2001
ballet music for orchestra

• Instrumentation
  2222;2221;timp,2perc,keyboards;strs
• Programme Note

  Our version of A Christmas Carol began as a glint in Russell Kerr’s eye. I remember a phone call from Russell in late 1988: “Philip – I think I’ve got an idea for a ballet that might work…”.

  Two years later, A Christmas Carol opened in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch in a polished production by Southern Ballet, with Russell himself in the demanding dual roles of Scrooge and choreographer.

  The success of the Southern Ballet’s presentation led to an unexpected invitation from Angela Gorton, then General Manager of Canterbury Opera.

  “Would it be possible to convert the ballet into an opera?” Angela asked. “You’ve got to be joking” I remember thinking. “Yes, of course, no problems” I replied.

  The temporary bout of insanity continued. I chose to write the libretto, as well as taking on the challenge of converting what was an electronic tape score into a 500-page manuscript for live orchestra and singers.

  Thankfully, as it transpired, much of the original electronic score translated fairly readily into the different medium. At most, keys and speeds were altered, and occasional phrases tweaked to suit the range and breath requirements of the human performers. This left under half the ballet requiring either substantial revision or fresh material.

  1993 disappeared in a blur of notes, rhyming couplets and spectral apparitions. One memory remains clear, and that is the thrill of seeing my labours brought to life in a gratifying premiere season of the opera by Canterbury Opera.

  Someone once said ‘being a composer in New Zealand must be like being a bullfighter in Finland”. Certainly conventional wisdom has it that while a first performance of a new work is relatively easy to secure, opportunities for subsequent performances are as rare as a happy Wagnerian heroine.

  Thus it was with relish and gratitude that I leapt upon the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s invitation to turn my opera score back into a ballet. This time, it was to be for humans to play, and a full orchestra no less. Oh joy oh bliss.

  And it has given me the opportunity to use the wonderful line – I spent most of 2001 decomposing.

  I feel enormously privileged to have the opportunity to work once again with Russell, Kristian, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and, of course, Charles Dickens.

  Philip Norman
  Composer
  “A Christmas Carol”

Philip Norman  

A Christmas Carol

Duration: 1h 41' 00" Year: 1990
three act ballet with music for computer controlled keyboards

Ashley Heenan  

A Time for Offenbach

Duration: 1h 00' 00" Year: 1967
ballet in one act based on the music of Offenbach with choreography by Jurek Shabelewski

• Instrumentation
  2222; 2230; timp,perc; strs.

Gillian Whitehead  

Angels born at the speed of light

Duration: 1h 00' 00"
for narrator, dancer and improvising trio (flute/saxophone, percussion, piano)

• Instrumentation
  with optional vibraphone. Originally for clarinet/saxophone, percussion and piano
• Availability

  • Whitehead: Angels born at the speed of light; facsimile 

    Full score | Pdf - facsimile
    

  • Whitehead: Angels born at the speed of light; facsimile 

    Full score | Hardcopy - facsimile
    
    $14.00
    • • Quantity:
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William Dart  

Away with the Fairies

Duration: 50' 00" Year: 1983
a divertissement for diva

• Instrumentation
  voice and piano
• Programme Note

  Away with the Fairies is a string of kitsch songs about fairies and pixies, animals and children. They are linked by recitatives which, like the songs, include quotations from other composers’ music.

• Availability

  • William Dart: Song Book; computer-set 

    Full score | Hardcopy - computer set
    
    $20.00
    • • Quantity:
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Eric Biddington  

Beauty and the Beast - a ballet for children

Duration: 50' 00" Year: 1994
for wind quintet and piano

• Instrumentation
  flute, oboe, clarinet in B flat, horn in F, bassoon and piano
• Availability

  • Biddington: Beauty and the Beast; facsimile 

    Reduced score | Hardcopy - facsimile
    
    • Borrow

Helen Fisher  

Bone of Contention

Duration: 1h 20' 00" Year: 1993
a dance work for mezzo-soprano and ensemble

• Instrumentation
  bagpipes, cello, marimba/harp/tenor drum (1 player), violin, flute/piccolo (1 player), clarinet/bass clarinet/soprano and alto saxophones (1 player)
• Programme Note

  This dance theatre project was commissioned to celebrate the New Zealand Women’s Suffrage Centennial, and explores a range of historical and contemporary issues. It is based on documents written by Kate Shepherd and was choreographed by Susan Jordan.

• Availability

  • Fisher: Bone of Contention; facsimile 

    Full score | Pdf - facsimile
    

  • Fisher: Bone of Contention (excerpt); facsimile 

    Full score | Hardcopy - facsimile
    
    $21.00
    • • Quantity:
    • Borrow

  • Helen Fisher: Bone of Contention  Year: 1993 

    Cassette
    
    • Borrow

Christopher Small  

Children of the Mist

Duration: 45' 00" Year: 1960
a ballet in two acts for orchestra

• Instrumentation
  11(1)21;2210;timp/perc;strs.

Bryony Jagger  

Chitra

Duration: 1h 40' 00" Year: 1978, r. 1980
a lyric opera in 2 acts

• Instrumentation
  for soprano, tenor, coloratura soprano, bass, harpsichord, strings and 2 dancers
• Programme Note

  A lyrical opera based on Tagore’s dramatic poem ‘Chitra’.

John Drummond  

Cinderella

Duration: 2h 00' 00" Year: 1978
music and lyrics for a pantomime