Kurt Weill - Street Scene (James Holmes)

Information

Composer: Kurt Weill

• Street Scene

Giselle Allen

Robert Hayward

Gillene Butterfield

Alex Banfield

Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North

James Holmes, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: CapriccioNR

_____________________

Street Scene stands as Kurt Weill’s most frequently revived American stage work, marking a defining breakthrough in his artistic output. Blending operatic arias, musical comedy, theatrical dialogue, and intense drama, the piece presents a dynamic polystylistic score. While based on Elmer Rice’s 1920s play, the musical style embraces distinct 1940s popular influences echoing Glenn Miller and Rodgers & Hammerstein. Following the release of Love Life, this album expands Capriccio’s extensive Kurt Weill catalog, featuring a compelling live performance by a powerful cast from Opera North.

Conductor and music scholar James Holmes has built a distinguished career bridging opera and musical theater, serving as Head of Music at Opera North from 1996 to 2008 and staff conductor at English National Opera. Renowned for leading landmark productions of works by Sondheim, Gershwin, and Weill across major international venues, his discography includes a Grammy-nominated recording of Pacific Overtures and the first complete recording of Weill's Love Life. A trustee of the Kurt Weill Foundation and recipient of its Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award, Holmes is a premier authority on the composer and editor of Weill's complete symphonic music.