Tesla
Carson Kievman
About this work:
This is a story about "the clash of titans." Narrated by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) the opera focuses on the legendary battles between genius inventors; Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla was a brilliant, eccentric, dreaming immigrant, who believed in free energy for all and gave away a fortune. Tesla's inventions include, neon light, AC electric current, florescent light, self propelled rockets, laser beams, radio, and, among others, designs for a perpetual motion (energy) machine. Thomas Edison was an all - American genius inventor who, because of his all consuming goal of building an empire, used every tool at his disposal to destroy Tesla and his dreams. It was a tragic irony that the system Edison loved so dearly was also later used, ingeniously against Edison himself. The characters in this opera include the founders of the Twentieth Century: Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, George Westinghouse, J.P. Morgan, and Mark Twain.
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 02:00:80
Ensemble type: Opera/Theater:Opera, More than One Act, with Chorus
Instrumentation: 2 Percussion (General), 1 Strings (General), 1 Soprano, 1 Mezzo-Soprano, 2 Tenor, 2 Baritone, 1 Bass, 1 S, 1 A, 1 T, 1 B, 3 Sampler (Keyboard/Other)