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You are here: Compositions > Compositions & Collections > IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (2016)
 

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IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (2016)

“It’s A Wonderful Life Soars“ Houston Chronicle

“Stunningly new” Houston Arts+Culture

“Heggie’s most delightful concoction” TheaterJones


  • About
  • Cast/Teams
  • Recording

It’s A Wonderful Life (2016) is an opera in two acts with a libretto by Gene Scheer based on the beloved 1946 movie directed by Frank Capra (by permission of Paramount Licensing) and The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern. Set on Christmas Eve 1945 in the heavens and on earth, it tells the story of George Bailey in Bedford Falls, NY and the angel Clara who is sent to be his guardian angel and show him the value of his life.

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(l-r) D’Ana Lombard, Yongzhau Yu, William Burden, Talise Trevigne, Zoie Reems & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
(t-b) Anthony Dean Griffey, William Burden & Joshua Hopkins

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It’s A Wonderful Life was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera with San Francisco Opera and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. It received its world premiere on Dec 2, 2016 in the Cullen Theater of Houston’s Wortham Center for the Arts and ran for nine sold-out performances.
It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

Conducted by Patrick Summers and directed by Leonard Foglia, the production featured sets by Robert Brill, lighting by Brian Nason, projections by Elaine J. McCarthy, costumes by David Woolard and choreography by Keturah Stickann.

The cast included tenor William Burden (George Bailey), soprano Talise Trevigne (Clara), soprano Andrea Carroll (Mary Bailey), baritone Rod Gilfry (Mr Potter/Mr Gower), tenor Anthony Dean Griffey (Uncle Billy) and baritone Joshua Hopkins (Harry Bailey). The quartet of four Angels First Class were sung by soprano D’Ana Lombard, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, tenor Yongzhau Yu, and baritone Ben Edquist. The production featured 16 members of the Houston Grand Opera Chorus and 24 members of the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra.


It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
Rod Gilfry, William Burden &
Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

The opera has six principal roles, four secondary roles (the quartet of Angels First Class), several smaller roles which can be drawn from the chorus, and five speaking roles for children.
It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
Heath Martin, William Burden, Andrea Carroll, &
Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera


The orchestration was designed to be flexible. For the Houston premiere, the orchestra included 24 players: 1 flute (piccolo), 1 oboe (English Horn), 1 clarinet (bass clarinet), 1 bassoon, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone, 2 percussion, 1 harp, 1 piano, 6 violins, 2 violas, 3 cellos, 1 contrabass. The string count may be significantly increased for larger theaters.

It’s A Wonderful Life was recorded live for PentaTone Classics.


It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
Cast & Chorus

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
(l-r) D’Ana Lombard, Yongzhau Yu, Talise Trevigne,
Zoie Reems & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera



The creation of It’s A Wonderful Life was supported by generous gifts from The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, Sara and Bill Morgan, The Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation, Diane B. Wilsey, Franci Neely, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Diane and Stephen Heiman, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(l-r) D’Ana Lombard, Yongzhau Yu, William Burden, Talise Trevigne, Zoie Reems & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Andrea Carroll, William Burden & Anthony Dean Griffey

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(t-b):Anthony Dean Griffey, William Burden & Joshua Hopkins

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(above) Talise Trevigne, (front) Elle Graper, C.J. Friend, Levi Smith, Andrea Carroll, William Burden, (behind) members of the HGO Chorus

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Rod Gilfry, William Burden & Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(Front) Andrea Carroll, C.J. Friend, Talise Trevigne, Levi Smith, William Burden and Elle Graper, (Behind) D’Ana Lombard & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(center) Andrea Carroll & William Burden, with members of the HGO Chorus

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Heath Martin, William Burden, Andrea Carroll, & Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
William Burden & Andrea Carroll

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
William Burden, Joshua Hopkins, Kate Smith & Anthony Dean Griffey

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Brian Hues, Rod Gilfry, William Burden & Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Andrea Carroll, William Burden, Taelon Stonecipher & members of the HGO Chorus

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Cast & Chorus

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Joshua Hopkins, William Burden, Anthony Dean Griffey & Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Joshua Hopkins, William Burden & Anthony Dean Griffey

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Talise Trevigne & William Burden

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
Rod Gilfry, Stephen Thomas, Zoie Reems & Talise Trevigne

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
D’Ana Lombard,Yongzhau Yu, Talise Trevigne, Zoie Reams & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It's A Wonderful Life, by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. Houston Grand Opera, 2016
It’s A Wonderful Life World Premiere at Houston Grand Opera, 2016.
(l-r) D’Ana Lombard, Yongzhau Yu, Talise Trevigne, Zoie Reems & Ben Edquist

Photo Karen Almond, Houston Grand Opera

It’s A Wonderful Life was a co-commission and co-production with Houston Grand Opera and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
 

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION TEAM

Composer Jake Heggie
Libretto Gene Scheer
Conductor Patrick Summers
Director Leonard Foglia
Set Design Robert Brill
Costumes David Woolard
Lighting Brian Nason
Projections Elaine J. McCarthy
Sound Design Andrew Harper
Choreography Keturah Stickann
Chorus Director Bradley Moore
Stage Manager Christopher Staub
Assistant Director Meg Edwards
Musical preparation and rehearsal pianists Peter Pasztor,
Patrick Harvey

ORIGINAL CAST

George Bailey William Burden
Clara, Angel Second Class Talise Trevigne
Mary Bailey Andrea Carroll
Mr Gower/Mr Potter Rod Gilfry
Uncle Billy Anthony Dean Griffey
Harry Bailey Joshua Hopkins
Ernie Heath Martin
Mother Bailey Frankie Hickman
Quartet of Angels First Class
soprano D’Ana Lombard
mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams
tenor Yongzhau Yu
baritone Ben Edquist
Children
Young George Stephen Thomas
Young Mary, Janie C.J. Friend
Zuzu Elle Graper
Young Sam, Tommy Levi Smith
Young Harry Jack Townsend

The Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and Chorus

ORCHESTRATION

The orchestration was designed to be flexible. For the Houston premiere, the orchestra included 24 players: 1 flute (piccolo), 1 oboe (English Horn), 1 clarinet (bass clarinet), 1 bassoon, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone, 2 percussion, 1 harp, 1 piano, 6 violins, 2 violas, 3 cellos, 1 contrabass. The string count may be significantly increased for larger theaters.

 

RECORDING

It's A Wonderful Life by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer
It’s A Wonderful Life by
Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer

Complete live recording of the world premiere at Houston Grand Opera, featuring William Burden (George Bailey), Talise Trevigne (Clara the Angel) and Andrea Carroll (Mary Bailey). Patrick Summers leads the Houston Grand Opera orchestra and chorus.

Available on Pentatone Music, Amazon, Amazon Music Unlimited, Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes.

pentatone Amazon Amazon Music Spotify Music Apple Music iTunes

Listen now on Spotify.




 

PUBLISHING & RIGHTS

Bill Holab Music is agent for the sales and rentals of the score to Its A Wonderful Life.

Published by Bent Pen Music, Inc. (BMI)

For information on Grand Rights: Don Erik Franzen, Inc. dfranzen@lawff.com.

 

SCORE EXCERPTS AVAILABLE


I'm Gonna Love You 'til the Day I Die from the Opera Arias for Soprano Collection
Waiting for the Day I Get My Wings from the Opera Arias for Soprano Collection
George Bailey's Soliloquy from the Opera Arias for Tenor Collection

| Categories↠Compositions | Tags↠Andrea Carroll, Anthony Dean Griffey, Brian Nason, Elaine J. McCarthy, Joshua Hopkins, Leonard Foglia, Patrick Summers, Robert Brill, Robert Orth, Talise Trevigne, William Burden | Debut Year↠2016 | Compositions↠Opera/Stage |

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