Nico Muhly
Marnie
Wednesday, September 1, at 7:30PM
Conductor
Robert Spano
Marnie
Isabel Leonard
Mrs. Rutland
Janis Kelly
Marnie’s Mother
Denyce Graves
Terry Rutland
Iestyn Davies
Mark Rutland
Christopher Maltman
Production
Michael Mayer
Set and Projection Designers
Julian Crouch and 59 Productions
Costume Designer
Arianne Phillips
Lighting Designer
Kevin Adams
Choreographer
Lynne Page
Live in HD Director
Habib Azar
Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera
A co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera
Music by Nico Muhly, libretto by Nicholas Wright, based on the novel by Winston Graham
By special arrangement with Universal Pictures
Production a gift of Andrew J. Martin-Weber
Additional funding from the Francis Goelet Trusts, Dr. Coco Lazaroff, and American Express
Act I
England, 1959. After stealing money from Mr. Strutt’s firm, Marnie changes her identity and appearance. She applies for a job at Halcyon Printing and is shocked when the man who interviews her is Mark Rutland, whom she met at Mr. Strutt’s office. Marnie joins Mark’s brother, Terry, for a poker game. Afterwards, Terry makes a pass at her, but she rebuffs him. At his home, Mark declares his romantic fascination with Marnie. Later, she breaks into the Halcyon safe, but Mark catches her. He threatens to turn her in unless she agrees to marry him. On their honeymoon, Mark forces himself on his new wife, but Marnie escapes and slits her wrist.
Act II
Frustrated by their sexless marriage, Mark presses Marnie to consult an analyst. After several weeks of treatment, she recalls some painful memories. At a party, Mr. Strutt appears and accuses Marnie of theft. Marnie and Mark attend a foxhunt, with Marnie riding her horse, Forio. When the horse panics, Marnie is thrown, and Mark in injured. Forio has to be shot. Marnie arrives at the hospital where Mark is recovering. As she leaves, she steals his keys. Marnie breaks into the office safe, but she is unable to take the money. She goes to see her mother but arrives to find that she has died. Mark, Terry, and the police arrive. As she is taken into custody, Marnie simply repeats the words “I’m free.”
The Summer HD Festival is generously supported by The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust.
The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, the Neubauer Family Foundation. Digital support of The Met: Live in HD is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Met: Live in HD is supported by Rolex.
Support Extraordinary Opera
You may also give by texting METFESTIVAL to 44321. Standard text messaging rates apply.