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{{Short description|Opera in three acts by Thomas Pasatieri}}
'''Black Widow''' is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Thomas Pasatieri]] with an [[English]] [[libretto]] also by the [[composer]]. The libretto is based on [[Miguel de Unamuno]]'s ''Dos madres''. The opera premiered on [[March 2]], [[1972]] with [[Seattle Opera]].<ref>[http://www.usopera.com/composers/pasatieri.html US Opera]</ref> Other notable productions include [[Lake George Opera]] in 1972 and the [[Opera in Atlanta|Atlanta Civic Opera Association]] in 1981.
{{Infobox opera
| name = Black Widow
| composer = [[Thomas Pasatieri]]
| image =
| image_upright =
| caption =
| librettist = Thomas Pasatieri
| language = English
| based_on = Miguel de Unamuno's ''Dos madres''
| premiere_date = {{Start date|1972|03|02}}
| premiere_location = [[Seattle Opera]]
}}

'''''Black Widow''''' is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Thomas Pasatieri]] with an English [[libretto]] also by the [[composer]]. The libretto is based on [[Miguel de Unamuno]]'s ''Dos madres''. The opera premiered on March 2, 1972 with [[Seattle Opera]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1QK-F0kAumkC|title=Opera Production II: A Handbook|author=Quaintance Eaton|year=1974|publisher=[[University of Minnesota Press]]|isbn=9780816657544|chapter=Black Widow|page=48}}</ref> [[Lotfi Mansouri]] was the director.<ref>{{cite book|title=American Opera (Music in American Life)|author=Elise Kuhl Kirk|year= 2001|isbn=9780252026232|publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|page=329}}</ref> Other notable productions include [[Lake George Opera]] in 1972 and the [[Opera in Atlanta|Atlanta Civic Opera Association]] in 1981.<ref>{{cite book|page=44|chapter=Black Widow|title=Encyclopedia of American opera|author=Ken Wlaschin|year=2006|isbn=9780786421091|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]}}</ref> The score was published by Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp. in 1977.<ref name="OE"/>


==Roles==
==Roles==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Roles
!Cast
!Voice type
!Voice type
!Premiere Cast<ref>{{cite news|title=Black Widow': Promising|first=Paul |last=Hume|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=6 March 1972|page= B9}}</ref><br>March 2, 1972 <br>(Conductor: - Henry Holt)
!Premiere, November 28, 1760 <br>(Conductor: - )
|-
|-
|Raquel
|Raquel, ''the "Black Widow"''
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|
|Joanna Simon & Nancy Deering
|[[Joanna Simon (singer)|Joanna Simon]]
|-
|-
|Juan, ''Raquel's lover and Berta's husband''
|Berta
|baritone
|
⚫
|[[Theodor Uppman]]
|Evelyn Mandac & Gloria Cutsforth
|-
|-
|Berta, ''Juan's wife
|Doña Marta
|[[soprano]]
|
|[[Evelyn Mandac]]
⚫
|Jennie Tourel & Dorothy Cole
|-
|-
|Doña Marta, ''Berta's mother''
|Juan
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|
⚫
|[[Jennie Tourel]]
⚫
|Theodor Uppman
|-
|-
|Don Pedro
|Don Pedro, ''Berta's father''
|tenor
|
|David Lloyd
|David Lloyd
|-
|-
|}
|}

==Story==
The work deals with a young widow, Raquel, who is unable to have a child but is so obsessed with the idea that having a child would give her immortality that she forces her lover, Juan, to marry another woman (Berta) so that they can have a child that she can take from them. Juan kills himself after giving the child to Raquel. Berta goes insane and triumphant Raquel becomes the caregiver of both Berta and her child.<ref name="OE">{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y8bQAwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Joanna+Simon%22+%22black+widow%22&pg=PA56|title=Operas in English: A Dictionary|author= Margaret Ross Griffel|year=2013|page=57|chapter=Black Widow|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]|isbn=9780810883253}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{Thomas Pasatieri}}
{{opera-stub}}
{{Authority control}}


{{italic title}}
[[Category:1972 operas]]
[[Category:1972 operas]]
[[Category:Opera world premieres at Seattle Opera]]
[[Category:Operas by Thomas Pasatieri]]
[[Category:Operas by Thomas Pasatieri]]
[[Category:English-language operas]]
[[Category:English-language operas]]
[[Category:Operas]]

Latest revision as of 22:16, 18 March 2023

Black Widow
Opera by Thomas Pasatieri
LibrettistThomas Pasatieri
LanguageEnglish
Based onMiguel de Unamuno's Dos madres
Premiere
March 2, 1972 (1972-03-02)
Seattle Opera

Black Widow is an opera in three acts by Thomas Pasatieri with an English libretto also by the composer. The libretto is based on Miguel de Unamuno's Dos madres. The opera premiered on March 2, 1972 with Seattle Opera.[1] Lotfi Mansouri was the director.[2] Other notable productions include Lake George Opera in 1972 and the Atlanta Civic Opera Association in 1981.[3] The score was published by Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp. in 1977.[4]

Roles

[edit]
Roles Voice type Premiere Cast[5]
March 2, 1972
(Conductor: - Henry Holt)
Raquel, the "Black Widow" mezzo-soprano Joanna Simon
Juan, Raquel's lover and Berta's husband baritone Theodor Uppman
Berta, Juan's wife soprano Evelyn Mandac
Doña Marta, Berta's mother mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel
Don Pedro, Berta's father tenor David Lloyd

Story

[edit]

The work deals with a young widow, Raquel, who is unable to have a child but is so obsessed with the idea that having a child would give her immortality that she forces her lover, Juan, to marry another woman (Berta) so that they can have a child that she can take from them. Juan kills himself after giving the child to Raquel. Berta goes insane and triumphant Raquel becomes the caregiver of both Berta and her child.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Quaintance Eaton (1974). "Black Widow". Opera Production II: A Handbook. University of Minnesota Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780816657544.
  2. ^ Elise Kuhl Kirk (2001). American Opera (Music in American Life). University of Illinois Press. p. 329. ISBN 9780252026232.
  3. ^ Ken Wlaschin (2006). "Black Widow". Encyclopedia of American opera. McFarland & Company. p. 44. ISBN 9780786421091.
  4. ^ a b Margaret Ross Griffel (2013). "Black Widow". Operas in English: A Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. p. 57. ISBN 9780810883253.
  5. ^ Hume, Paul (6 March 1972). "Black Widow': Promising". The Washington Post. p. B9.


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