The Camp, Opera in Two Acts

Scenes of Life in a War Relocation Center; Opera in Two Acts (2020)

for 2× soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, 6× tenor, 2× baritone, 2× bass and Ensemble (10+ players) oder Chamber Orchestra

Short instrumentation: 1 0 1 0 - 0 0 0 0, shakuhachi, perc, zith, str

Duration: 106'

Libretto: Lionelle Hamanaka

Solos:

2× soprano

mezzo-soprano

alto

6× tenor

2× baritone

2× bass

Roles:

Commentator Mas Shimono Haruko Shimono Suzuko (Suzy) Shimono Rebecca Shimono Nobu Edwards Taylor Tana Kenji Mrs. Hosaka PFC Parker FBI Agent Reverend

Instrumentation details:

flute (+alto fl)

clarinet in Bb (+bass cl(Bb))

shakuhachi

percussion

zither

violin I (6 players)

violin II (6 players)

viola (6 players)

violoncello (4 players)

double bass (2 players)

The Camp, Opera in Two Acts

Work in progress

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Work introduction

This opera follows the lives of a Japanese-American family and their friends through imprisonment in a US internment camp during World War II. The cast requires a minimum of 11 singers (14 maximum); the instrumental ensemble consists of shakuhachi, koto, flute/alto flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, 1 percussion, and strings (string quintet/string ensemble).

The libretto was written by New York playwright Lionelle Hamanaka, whose parents were among those imprisoned.

What is necessary to perform this work?

The part shown as "zither" is actually the Japanese koto, which could be replaced by a digital keyboard instrument with a koto sound (and the "pitch bend" function). The minimum number of singers is 11; in this case the brief appearances of PFC Parker and the FBI Agent are sung by the Commentator, and the role of the Minister is sung by Edwards.