The Nightingale and the Rose (Russian: Соловей и роза – Solovey i roza) is a chamber opera in one act (five scenes) by Russian composer Elena Firsova (Op. 46, 1990–1991) written to her own English libretto after Oscar Wilde’s story of the same name together with poetry by Christina Rossetti. Creation and performance history The opera was written at the request of Paul Esterházy, the director of the Ulm Theatre in Germany. Firsova created the libretto combining the text from Oscar Wilde's fairy-tale, taken from the collection The Happy Prince and Other Stories (1888), with four poems by Christina Rossetti. This was the last work the composer completed in the Soviet Union before she moved to England in 1991. However, the idea of the staging in Germany was abandoned when Paul Esterházy suddenly left the Ulm Theatre. The opera was produced in London. It was premiered on July 8, 1994 (with subsequent performances on July 9, 16, 18 and 20) at the Almeida Theatre by Almeida Opera, with the singers Rachael Hallawell (mezzo-soprano), Philip Sheffield (tenor), and Carol Smith (soprano), designer Julian McGowan, stage director Caroline Gawn, and conductor David Parry. Publishers Publishing rights: Boosey & Hawkes, London for UK, British Commonwealth (excluding Canada) and the Republic of Ireland. Internationale Musikverlage Hans Sikorski, Hamburg, for Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Turkey. Roles The Nightingale – (soprano) The Student – (tenor) The Girl – (mezzo-soprano) Green Lizard – mezzo-soprano (from chorus) Butterfly – tenor (from chorus) Daisy – bass (from chorus) White Rose Tree – chorus (2 sopranos, 2 altos) Yellow Rose Tree – chorus (2 tenors, 2 basses) Red Rose Tree – chorus (2 sopranos, 2 altos, 2 tenors, 2 basses) Oak Tree – bass with microphone (from chorus) Score Flute (=piccolo), oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, 3 percussion players (triangle, Indian jingles, whip, maracas, bamboo pipes, pagoda jingles, bass drum, suspended cymbals, bells, Chinese gong, Javanese gong, tamtam, glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone), harp, celesta, strings (1/1/1/1/1) Synopsis Scene 1. The Garden of the Student. The student is told by the girl he loves that she will dance with him all night if only he will bring her a red rose. But he cannot find a red rose in the garden. The nightingale hears his complaints and is so moved that she decides to find a red rose for him herself. Scene 2. Unfortunately the