The Death of Webern
Michael Dellaira
About this work:
On September 15, 1945, a mere five months after the fall of Berlin, the composer Anton Webern was shot and killed by an American G.I. in the town of Mittersill, Austria. Why? Musicologist Hans Moldenhauer is determined to find out, and after years of persistence and patience, he manages to get as close to the truth of what happened as anyone ever will. Based on Webern's private lectures and Moldenhauer's research, The Death of Webern celebrates the work of two dedicated men for whom musical ideas and the pursuit of truth-- not celebrity-- were ends in themselves and sometimes not just the best but the only reward
Version: Opera in 1 Act, Libretto by J. D. McClatchy
Year composed: 2013
Duration: 00:58:00
Ensemble type: Opera/Theater:One-Act Operas
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: fl/picc; cl/B.cl; perc; vn; vc; pf
characters: Amalie Waller, Archivist I (sop); Helen Bell, State Dept. Clerk (mezzo-sop); Anton Webern (ten); Hans Moldenhauer (bar); Military Officer; Heiman; Murray, Legionnaire; (bar - or can be double or triple cast)