Death Knocks
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Death knocks |
| Original title: | Death Knocks |
| Shape: | Chamber opera in one act |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Christian Jost |
| Libretto : | Woody Allen , Esther Ferrier |
| Literary source: | Death Knocks (Woody Allen) |
| Premiere: | September 29, 2001, scenic: May 6, 2005 |
| Place of premiere: | Hanover, scenic: Theater Erfurt |
| Playing time: | about an hour |
| Place and time of the action: | new York |
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Death Knocks (German: Death knocks on ) is a chamber opera in one act of Christian Jost ( music ) with a libretto by Woody Allen . The German version of the text is by Esther Ferrier. Composed as a commissioned work for the international Lower Saxony Music Days, the opera was premiered in concert on September 29, 2001 in Hanover. It was staged for the first time on May 6, 2005 in the Erfurt Theater .
action
In his apartment in New York, the successful textile manufacturer Nat Ackermann lies comfortably on the bed reading the evening paper. Suddenly someone crashes from the rain gutter through the window into his room with a great crash. It is death in the form of an attractive lady who wants to take it away immediately. Nat has no desire to let death take him to the hereafter. He is completely healthy and initially believes in an error. They talk about various things in everyday life. When Death sticks to his invitation, Nat suggests a round of gin rummy . If death wins, Nat agrees to go immediately, if Nat wins, he gets a day's respite. Death is still exhausted from his climb. Happy about this opportunity to relax, he agrees.
During the game, Nat distracts death with repeated questions about dying and the afterlife. As a skilled trader, he tries to negotiate the best options for himself. It turns out that this is his counterpart's first job. Finally, Nat succeeds in getting death so far from the concept that it loses the game by a huge margin and is even in debt with Nat. Now death is all messed up. He doesn't know what to do with the two twelve hours until he can come back. Also, he has no idea where to get the money for the debt. Nat shows no interest in these problems. He throws death out of his apartment. When going down the stairs, he stumbles over a missing step and crashes down. Nat calls his friend Moe and tells him about the previous night: "[...] death was just here [...] he's such a fool."
layout
The cast of the chamber ensemble includes the following instruments:
- violin
- Clarinet in B
- Trumpet in C.
- trombone
- bassoon
- double bass
- Vibraphone
- Drums (bass drum, snare, tom, cymbal)
history
The concert premiere of the opera took place on September 29, 2001 in Hanover. Stella Doufexis (Death) and Sebastian Noack (Nat Ackermann) sang . It was played by the Linos Ensemble . The scenic premiere took place on May 6, 2005 in the Erfurt Theater. Elvira Soukop (Death) and Juan Carlos Mera-Euler (Nat Ackermann) sang here . Karl Prokopetz was the musical director . The production was done by Eszter Szabó and the costumes and set by Benita Roth. There were other performances u. a. 2008 in Gothenburg, 2009 in Hof and Hamburg, 2010 in Oldenburg, 2011 in Kiel, Cologne and Cincinnati, 2012 in the Netherlands, 2013 in Schwerin, 2014 in Heidelberg and 2015 in Gießen.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c work information from Schott Music , accessed on February 23, 2016
- ↑ Death knocks / Story of the Soldier (premiere 6.5.2005) at the Theater Erfurt ( Memento from March 2, 2016 in the Internet Archive ).