Sonya's Story is an opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 by the British composer Neal Thornton to a libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 based on the original Russian text of Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...

's play Uncle Vanya

Uncle Vanya

Uncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....

. The libretto reproduces passages from Uncle Vanya in English translation with additional spoken text by Neal Thornton. Sonya's Story premiered in 7 August 2010 at the Riverside Studios

Riverside Studios

Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...

 in Londonto celebrate Chekhov's 150th anniversary. The production, part of the Tête à Tête fesitval was directed by Sally Burgess

Sally Burgess

Sally Burgess FRCM is a South Africa-born British operatic lyric mezzo-soprano, opera director, and educator. She has been a Fellow and Professor of Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music since 2004, as well as teaching stagecraft...

 and designed by Charles Phu

Charles Phu

Charles Phu , is a London-based architect, opera set designer, and painter. Born in Taiwan, he was educated and has practiced architectural design in the United States. Phu has made a number of studies on architecture and cultures including Uyghurs, Mongolians, Uzbeks along the ancient Silk Road...

.

Set in late 19th century Russia, Sonya’s Story is a musical psycho-drama portraying Sonya's responses to her life crises and the limitations presented by her social and personal circumstances. It is the first opera adapted from Uncle Vanya.

Roles

Role	Voice Type	Premiere cast, 7 August 2010, London (Conductor Conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... : Lionel Friend)
Sofya Alexandrovna Serebryakov (Sonya), Professor Serebryakov's daughter from his first marriage	(mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... )	Caryl Hughes
Ivan Petrovitch Voynitsky (Uncle Vanya), Sonya's uncle, the title character of Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya	(baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... )	Cozmin Sime
Mikhail Lvovich Astrov (Dr. Astrov), a country doctor	(baritone)	Cozmin Sime
Yelena Andreyevna Serebryakov (Yelena), Professor Serebryakov's second wife (actress/dancer)		Ilana Gorban

External links

• Official website of Sonya's Story
• Burgess, Sally (30 July 2010). "Sally's story: from singing actress to Chekhovian opera director". The Independent
  The Independent
  The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...