The Mask of Orpheus

Opera in 3 acts (1973)

Short instrumentation: 4 4 4 4 - 4 4 6 2 - perc(7), hp(3), sop.sax(3), e.guit, bass guit, e.mand, tape

Duration: 210'

Libretto von: Peter Zinovieff

Dedication: for Kay Wadey

Choir: SATB (16-part)

Roles:

Orpheus - The Man

1st tenor
Orpheus - Hero

mime
Orpheus - The Myth

Hades

2nd tenor
Euridice - The Woman

1st lyric mezzo-soprano
Euridice - The Heroine

mime
Euridice - The Myth

Persephone

2nd lyric mezzo-soprano
Aristaeus - The Man

1st high baritone
Aristaeus - The Hero

mime
Aristaeus - The Myth / Charon

2nd high baritone
The Oracle of the dead / Hecate

high soprano
The Caller

bass-baritone
1. Priest

heroic tenor
2. Priest

baritone
3. Priest

low bass
1. Woman

soprano
2. Woman

mezzo-soprano
3. Woman

alto
The troupe of the passing clouds

mimes
Apollo

tape

Instrumentation details:

1. fl (+picc), 2. fl (+picc, Afl), 3. fl (+picc, Afl), 4. fl (+Afl, bass fl), 1. ob (+ob.d'a),
2. ob (+c.a), 3. ob (+c.a), bassoboe (+c.a), 1. Kl (+cl(Eb)), 2. Kl (+cl(Eb), bass cl), 3. Kl (+bass cl), bass cl (+cb.cl)), 1. bs, 2. bs (+cbsn), 3. bs (+cbsn), cbsn, 3 soprano sax, 4 hr, 4 tpt, 6 tbn, 2 tuba, perc (7), 3 hp, e-guit, bass guit, e-mand, tape