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Wikipedia / The Bell Tower

The Bell Tower is a chamber opera in one act by Ernst Krenek, his Op. 153. The English libretto by the composer was inspired by the short story by Herman Melville (collected in The Piazza Tales), the events only mysteriously hinted at in the story becoming a point of departure for the explicit dramatic action of Krenek's piece. It was commissioned by the Fromm Foundation and written in 1955–56, receiving its premiere on 17 March 1957 at the University of Illinois (recorded on CRS 5).

Roles

Role

Voice type

Premiere Cast, (Conductor:John Garvey)

Bannadonna, bell-caster and architect

baritone

Manfred Capell

Giovanni, foreman

bass

William Olson

Una, Bannadonna's daughter

soprano

Donna Sue Burton

Two Senators

Baritone & Tenor

Dan MacDonald, Donald Paschke

Two workers

Tenor & Baritone

Edward Levy, Bruce Govich

Statue

John Wilson

Chorus of citizens, workers

SATB

Orchestra: 1.1.1.0-0.1.1.0-perc-pft-str (offstage: 2tpt, trmb, sn-dr.)

References

Notes Sources

  • Stewart, John L., Ernst Krenek: The Man and His Music. University of California Press, 1991