Antal Dorati was best known as a conductor who led performances on over 700 recordings, but on this week’s Sunday Opera (5/4 3:00 p.m.), we’re going to look at Dorati the composer with his only opera, “Der Kunder” (“The Chosen”) and two more of his works.
Dorati was born in Budapest in April of 1906 and made his conducting debut at the age of 18 with the Budapest Royal Opera. He would go on to lead several of the world’s major orchestras like the BBC Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra (in Washington D.C.), and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1943, shortly before he led the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Many suggest that it was his time with the Minneapolis Symphony that cemented his reputation as a conductor.
Today’s opera was written in 1984 (or 1986 by some sources) and is based on a 1956 mystery play by Martin Buber with Dorati adapting the libretto. It deals with a period in the life of Elijah as he takes on the corrupt rule of King Ahab and his concubine, the Baal priestess Jezebel through to his ascension into heaven in a flaming chariot sent to collect him by God.
The cast includes Tomasz Konieczny as Elijah, Michael Schade as Ahab, Rachel Frenkel as Jezebel, Ron Silberstein as the shepherd Elisha, Mi-Young Kim as a caring woman named Tanit, Yuval Oren as her child, and Marek Gasztecki as Naboth and the Master of Rites. Various roles are also played by Joo-Hoon Shin and Makar Phura. Martin Fischer-Dieskau (son of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau) initiated this world premier recording and acts as conductor of the Teatr Wielki Choir Poznan and the Beethoven Academy Orchestra Cracow.
After the opera, we have two more of Dorati’s compositions scheduled. We’ll begin with his Symphony No. 1 which was written in 1957 and was initially recorded with the Minneapolis Symphony. We’re turning to a live recording featuring the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra lead by the composer.
Our final piece is the wonderfully atmospheric “Night Music” which was written for a solo flute and small orchestra. We’ve turned to a recording featuring flutist Sharon Bezaly who is joined by the Allborg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Moshe Atzmon.
We hope you’ll join us for this sampling of a different side of Antal Dorati.
