[Met Performance] CID:239310
United States Premiere
Death in Venice {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/18/1974.
(United States Premiere)
(Debuts: Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk, Steuart Bedford, Colin Graham, John Piper, Frederick Ashton, Charles Knode, John B. Read, Faith Worth, Bryan Pitts, Alison Woodard, Claudia Shell, Jon Garrison, Frederick Burchinal, Linda Phillips, Anthony Ferro, William Hall, John Stephens, Monte Jaffe, Gary Gowen, Emily Golden, Richard Stotts, Richard Prewitt, Deborah Truxal, Leslie Greenbaum, Tommy Detrich, Michael Puleo, Joyce Gerber, William Read, Norman Phillips, Mayda Prado, James Asbury, John Mack Ousley, Joseph Porrello, Mollie Melachouris, Kathryn Carter, Dianne Childs, Asunción Deiparine
Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
October 18, 1974
United States Premiere
DEATH IN VENICE {1}
Britten-M. Piper
Gustav von Aschenbach......Peter Pears [Debut]
Traveler...................John Shirley-Quirk [Debut]
Elderly Fop................John Shirley-Quirk
Old Gondolier..............John Shirley-Quirk
Hotel Manager..............John Shirley-Quirk
Hotel Barber...............John Shirley-Quirk
Leader of the Players......John Shirley-Quirk
Voice of Dionysus..........John Shirley-Quirk
Voice of Apollo............Andrea Velis
Polish Mother..............Vicki Fisera
Tadzio.....................Bryan Pitts [Debut]
Tadzio's Sister............Alison Woodard [Debut]
Tadzio's Sister............Claudia Shell [Debut]
Governess..................Diana Levy
Hotel Porter...............Jon Garrison [Debut]
English Clerk..............Frederick Burchinal [Debut]
Strolling Player...........Linda Phillips [Debut]
Strolling Player...........David Britton
Strawberry Seller..........Bonnie Hamilton
Jaschiu....................Anthony Ferro [Debut]
Jaschiu's Father...........Frederick Burchinal
Young Man..................David Britton
Young Man..................William Hall [Debut]
Young Man..................Arthur Warren
Young Man..................John Stephens [Debut]
Young Man..................Frederick Burchinal
Young Man..................Monte Jaffe [Debut]
Ship's Steward.............Gary Gowen [Debut]
Lido Boatman...............Monte Jaffe
French Mother..............Emily Golden [Debut]
French Daughter............Bonnie Hamilton
German Mother..............Barbara Martin
German Father..............John Stephens
German Son.................Richard Stotts [Debut]
American...................David Britton
American...................William Hall
Polish Brother.............Beth Fritz
Polish Brother.............Richard Prewitt [Debut]
Danish Lady................Linda Phillips
English Lady...............Carolyn Val-Schmidt
Russian Mother.............Deborah Truxal [Debut]
Russian Father.............Norman Phillips [Debut]
Russian Child..............Leslie Greenbaum [Debut]
Russian Child..............Tommy Detrich [Debut]
Russian Child..............Michael Puleo [Debut]
Russian Nanny..............Joyce Gerber [Debut]
Waiter.....................Gary Gowen
Guide......................John Stephens
Priest.....................William Read [Debut]
Lace Seller................Carolyn Val-Schmidt
Glassmaker.................William Hall
Beggar.....................Emily Golden
Newspaper Seller...........Doris Hollenbach
Flower Seller..............Mayda Prado [Debut]
Postcard Seller............James Asbury [Debut]
Photographer...............John Mack Ousley [Debut]
Street Dancer..............Antoinette Peloso
Acrobat, Beach Guard.......Edilio Ferraro
Acrobat, Beach Guard.......Marc Verzatt
Gondolier..................Joseph Porrello [Debut]
Gondolier..................Monte Jaffe
Gondolier..................Arthur Warren
Tourist....................Doris Hollenbach
Tourist....................Mollie Melachouris [Debut]
Tourist....................Kathryn Carter [Debut]
Tourist....................Jon Garrison
Tourist....................James Asbury
Tourist....................John Mack Ousley
Tourist....................William Read
Venetian...................Dianne Childs [Debut]
Venetian...................Asunción Deiparine [Debut]
Conductor..................Steuart Bedford [Debut]
Director...................Colin Graham [Debut]
Set designer...............John Piper [Debut]
Costume designer...........Charles Knode [Debut]
Lighting designer..........John B. Read [Debut]
Choreographer..............Frederick Ashton [Debut]
Choreography recreated by Faith Worth [Debut]
Death in Venice received nine performances this season.
Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa
[This production was borrowed from the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, London.]
Review of William Zakariasen in the New York Daily News
MET HAS A WINNER IN 'DEATH IN VENICE'
One might say that with the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's "Death in Venice" at the Metropolitan last Friday, opera has finally come out of the closet. Yet Britten's score and the Thomas Mann novella upon which it is based are not just about homosexuality any more than "Moby Dick" is just about the whaling industry.
Mann's tale, for all its brevity encompasses as many emotions and plot lines as Goethe's "Faust." Faust in the end, is saved because he refuses in his earth life to utter the fateful words" "Stay, thou art beautiful!" Gustav von Ashenbach, the hapless novelist-hero of "Death in Venice," cannot resist saying them, and is thus doomed.
Von Ashenbach's writings have heretofore been ruled by the Apollnian (spiritual) muse, but the sight of Tadzio, an incredible beauty, triggers his repressed Dionysian (sensual) leanings, which include the death wish lurking in all humanity.
"Death in Venice" is an Everyman tragedy, open to limitless interpretations. Britten's opera, while following Mann's story faithfully, continues a theme underlying most of his stage works (especially "Billy Budd") - the inability of mankind to comprehend innocence.
Britten originally conceived "Death in Venice" as a film, and indeed, much of the score sounds like movie music, merely punctuating Myfanwy Piper's libretto. It is thematically unified, but too often unity degenerates into repetition as Britten seems to overwork past formulas. However, we used to say that about the late scores of Richard Strauss before we knew better, and it must be said that Britten's latest score sounds stronger with each hearing.
There are many immediately appealing moments - the bells and brass fanfares evoking the spirit of Venice, the Balinese orchestra tinkles, eerily indicating Tadzio as well as reminding us that the plague that eventually consumes Aschenbach came from Southeast Asia, and the overriding, thorough professionalism in the writing.
The simple production, which largely uses projections, was imported from its English premiere engagement. It is a bit too small for the Met stage, as indeed the opera itself is. The desired intimacy was often lost, as was much of the English text's audibility.
But, the performance was splendid. Tenor Peter Pears, who at 64 made his Met debut at a time when most singers have long since retired, was heart-rending perfection as von Aschenbach. The role is an often interminable monologue, but Pears' voice held up superbly - the ravages of time have left no mark whatsoever upon his matchless technique.
Baritone John Shirley-Quirk, another newcomer, was likewise fine in the seven manacling roles of Death in various guises, and the rest of the immense cast (largely taken from the Met studio and ballet) followed suit. The one exception was dancer Brian Pitts - overaged and oversexed as Tadzio. The polish boy was more Polish ham, and surely not innocent. He and other dancers weren't helped by Sir Frederick Ashton's flouncing, preening choreography, which needs pruning. Stuart Bedford, who also led the English premiere, conducted with apparent mastery, and the Met orchestra, which always rises to the challenge of difficult music, never sounded better.