Der Kirschgarten (The Cherry Orchard) is an opera in four acts by the Swiss composer Rudolf Kelterborn. The German-language libretto was written by the composer and is based on Gudrun Düwel's German translation of Anton Chekhov's 1904 play The Cherry Orchard. The opera was composed between 1979 and 1981 and premiered on 4 December 1984 at the Zürich Opera House to inaugurate the newly renovated theatre. The premiere production was conducted by Ralf Weikert and directed by Nikolaus Lehnhoff. Evelyn Lear created the pivotal role of Ranevskaya.Meyer, Thomas (2011). "Erinnerungen an eine «grüne Oper»". Dissonance, Issue 115, pp. 32–37. Swiss Association of Musicians and the Conference of Swiss Universities of Music. Retrieved 5 December 2013 .Rosenthal, Harold (2008). "Lear (née Shulman; married name Stewart), Evelyn" in Laura Williams Macy (ed.), The Grove Book of Opera Singers, pp. 272–273. Oxford University Press.
Roles +RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 4 December 1984Conductor: Ralf WeikertMadame Lyubov Andreievna Ranevskaya, an aristocrat fallen on hard timessopranoEvelyn LearAnya, Ranevskaya's daughtersopranoAnne Marie RobertsonVarya, Ranevskaya's adopted daughtermezzo-sopranoHelrun GardowPeter Trofimov, a student with revolutionary ideals, beloved by AnyatenorPeter StrakaBoris Borisovich Simeonov-Pishchik, a land-owner fallen on hard timestenorHorst HiestermannLeonid Andreieveitch Gayev, Ranevskaya's brotherbaritoneRoland HerrmanFirs. an elderly manservanttenorPaul SpäniCharlotta Ivanovna, a governessmezzo-sopranoCharlotte BertholdDunyasha, Gayev's chambermaidsopranoDorothea WirtzYepikhodov, Gayev's estate clerkbaritoneHoward NelsonYermolai Alexeievitch Lopakhin, a wealthy merchantbassHans HelmThe StationmasterbassGejza Zelenay
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