The Sunday Opera: Lori Laitman's "The Scarlet Letter"

An American opera based on an American original is this week’s Sunday Opera (1/28  3:00 p.m.) as we take a look at Lori Laitman’s 2016 treatment of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.”  Hawthorne’s 1850 novel is a moral allegory centering on Hester Prynne’s affair with the Reverend Dimmesdale, the birth of her illegitimate daughter, Pearl, and her strength and determination to make a life for them in the face of hatred and prejudice.  Laura Claycomb is Hester and Dominic Armstrong is Dimmesdale in this recording featuring the Opera Colorado Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Ari Pelto.  Following the opera, host Michael Kownacky will be presenting a recording of the world’s longest recorded symphony by Havergal Brian.  His Symphony No. 1, also known as “The Gothic,” is a massive piece running nearly two hours and requiring nearly 1,000 performers to mount, so it  has only been performed a few times.