| Man on the Moon | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Jonathan Dove | |
| Librettist | Nicholas Wright |
| Language | English |
| Based on | Apollo 11 Moon landing |
| Premiere | 26 December 2006 |
Man on the Moon is a 2006 television opera in one act by Jonathan Dove with a libretto by Nicholas Wright. It relates the story of the Apollo 11 Moon landing on 20 July 1969 and the subsequent problems experienced by Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon.
The opera, about 50 minutes long, was commissioned by Channel 4 and first shown on 26 December 2006. The director was Rupert Edwards. In 2007, it won the Opera Special Prize at the 2007 Festival Rose d'Or in Lucerne, Switzerland.
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 26 December 2006 (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|
| Aldrin | baritone | Nathan Gunn |
| Joan, his wife | soprano | Patricia Racette |
| Michael, their son | actor | Gregg Sulkin |
| Their daughter | actor | Morgan Elliott |
The opera chronicles the preparations for the Apollo 11 mission, the journey and the landing. But it also deals with Aldrin's marriage break-up and the short-lived nature of fame.[1]
