My Rose, A Shakespeare Oratorio Project Choir Opus

• Steve Dobrogosz (1956-):
• 1And Sorrows End06:58
• 2Overture06:32
• 3Like to the Lark05:40
• 4His Beauty05:46
• 5Live Twice05:09
• 6My Speaking Breast05:02
• 7Being Your Slave06:42
• 8Richer Than Wealth06:20
• 9A Summers Day05:45
• 10Sweet Love07:32
• 11Elder08:10
• 12Marigold04:41
• 13If Thou Wilt Leave Me05:31
• 14Interlude06:17
• 15Lips To Kiss06:13
• 16My Home06:34
• 17Your Memory09:44
• Total Runtime01:48:36

Info for My Rose, A Shakespeare Oratorio

The Opus Project Choir Foundation first discovered the music of Steve Dobrogosz, an American composer living in Sweden, in 2007. That year the choir performed his two best known works, the Mass and the Requiem, which audiences enthusiastically received. While he was attending this project (called “Opus 1”) in Leeuwarden, the choir suggested that he write a much larger work, an oratorio. When he returned to Sweden, he became inspired by the beautiful, timeless texts of William Shakespeare. Thus came My Rose into existence, a two hour long work that was composed in the space of only 4 days. The oratorio contains various musical styles, classical, jazz and musical theatre, mixed together with a touch of romance and a pinch of humor.

Steve Dobrogosz says of the piece: “Everything romantic I have ever wanted to say, I think I have said it now. It is all about love. ‘All you need is love’ would be a great subtitle for this. When I wrote this, it came out all at once, I could barely write it down. That was a special feeling. When I finished it, I felt this was the best thing I had ever written.”

Shakespeare’s sonnets, written over the course of many years, explore themes of love, beauty, politics, and the impermanence of life itself. The 154 sonnets were published in 1609.

Barbara van Lint, soprano
Cindy Oudshoorn, alto
Rein Kolpa, tenor
Martijn Sanders, bass
Projectkoor Opus
Naska (National Symphonic Chamber Orchestra)
Anne Sollie, conductor

The Opus Project Choir Foundation
consists of five enthusiastic music-loving board members who have the goal of "yearly performing unique, never before performed music, when possible in the presence of the composer, where the music is combined with another art form."

They search out a fitting accompaniment ensemble, soloists, choir and artist for each project. The foundation was formed to implement a desire to present challenging and exciting concerts which add something new to the existing concert life.

The Opus Project Choir Foundation first discovered the music of Steve Dobrogosz, an American composer living in Sweden, in 2007. That year the choir performed his two best known works, the Mass and the Requiem, which audiences received enthusiastically. While Dobrogosz was attending this project (called ‘Opus 1’) in Leeuwarden, the choir suggested that he write a much larger work, an oratorio. When he returned to Sweden, he became inspired by the beautiful, timeless texts of William Shakespeare. Thus My Rose came into existence, a two-hour-long work that was composed in the space of only four days. The oratorio adopts various musical styles, classical, jazz and musical theatre, to which the composer adds a touch of romance and a pinch of humour.

Booklet for My Rose, A Shakespeare Oratorio