Lizzie Borden (opera)
Lizzie Borden is the sixth and best known opera by American composer Jack Beeson, commissioned by the Ford Foundation. The libretto by Kenward Elmslie after a scenario by Richard Plant is based on the real-life case of Lizzie Borden.
It was premiered on March 25, 1965, by the New York City Opera conducted by Anton Coppola and subsequently released on record.[1] The roughly two-hour opera is in three acts and an epilogue and is published by Boosey & Hawkes.[2] [3][4][5]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, March 25, 1965 (Conductor: – Anton Coppola) |
|---|---|---|
| Lizzie Borden | mezzo-soprano | Brenda Lewis |
| Margret Borden, Lizzie's sister | soprano | Anne Elgar |
| Captain Jason MacFarlane, Margret's love interest | baritone | Richard Fredricks |
| Abigail Borden, the stepmother | soprano | Ellen Faull |
| Andrew Borden. Lizzie's father | baritone | Herbert Beattie |
| Reverend Harrington | tenor | Richard Krause |
Synopsis
The plot is a dramatic retelling of the famed double axe murders of the stepmother and the father of the title character in Fall River, Massachusetts. However a great number of dramatic changes are made for effectiveness on the stage.
References
- first on CRI, later New World Records #NWCR694
- Online catalogue
- [http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,941033,00.html Opera: New Music, Old Legend, Time Magazine Apr. 02, 1965]
- Kozinn, Allan (March 8, 1999). "OPERA REVIEW; Deeper Look Into the Tale Of a Daughter And an Ax". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- Myers, Eric (December 2013). "BEESON: Lizzie Borden". Opera News. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
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