We Come to the River
Encyclopedia
We Come to the River is an opera
by Hans Werner Henze
to an English
libretto
by Edward Bond
. Henze and Bond described this work as "Actions for music", rather than an opera. It was Henze's 7th opera, written originally for the Royal Opera
in London
, and takes as its focus the horrors of war. The opera was first performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 12 July 1976, with the composer as producer, Jürgen Henze as director, and David Atherton
conducting. It was subsequently staged in Berlin
, and received its first American performance at Santa Fe Opera
in 1984, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies
.
The opera is notable for its complex staging, including a large cast of 111 roles covered by over 50 singers, with doubling of roles and three separate instrumental ensembles, including a percussionist who actually performs among the singers on stage. The scholar Robert Hatten has noted the mix of musical styles that Henze has employed, ranging from 'atonal to neoclassically tonal'.
The general, who gives no thought to the morality of his profession, has put down an abortive revolution. A deserter is executed, after the general has heard his pleading. Later, the soldier's wife and her mother, who have been looting corpses to try to survive, are also shot. Later, the doctor tells the general that he has a disease that will eventually render him blind. This news causes the general to start to come to terms with his own vulnerability, and to start to question war. Finally repulsed by images of the battlefield wounded, the general leaves the army, but this does not obliterate his past actions.
In Act II, the general has been imprisoned in an insane asylum. The asylum inhabitants obsessively tell tales of violence while tearing at their hair and clothes. They also prepare an imaginary boat for a future escape. One of the general's soldiers tells him of the atrocities going on. The authorities approach the general again to order him to take the field on behalf of the empire. When he refuses, the emperor's henchmen blind him so that he cannot lead a revolution from the asylum. The blind general sees visions of his victims. At the close of the work, the inmates kill the general.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
to an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Edward Bond
Edward Bond
Edward Bond is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them Saved , the production of which was instrumental in the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK...
. Henze and Bond described this work as "Actions for music", rather than an opera. It was Henze's 7th opera, written originally for the Royal Opera
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and takes as its focus the horrors of war. The opera was first performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 12 July 1976, with the composer as producer, Jürgen Henze as director, and David Atherton
David Atherton
David Atherton OBE, is an English conductor.-Background:Atherton was born in Blackpool, Lancashire in a musical family. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar School. His father, Robert Atherton, was the Music Master at St Joseph's College, Blackpool and was also a conductor...
conducting. It was subsequently staged in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and received its first American performance at Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
in 1984, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies
Dennis Russell Davies
Dennis Russell Davies is an American conductor and pianist. He studied piano and conducting at the Juilliard School where he received his doctorate...
.
The opera is notable for its complex staging, including a large cast of 111 roles covered by over 50 singers, with doubling of roles and three separate instrumental ensembles, including a percussionist who actually performs among the singers on stage. The scholar Robert Hatten has noted the mix of musical styles that Henze has employed, ranging from 'atonal to neoclassically tonal'.
Main roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 12 July 1976 (Conductor: David Atherton David Atherton David Atherton OBE, is an English conductor.-Background:Atherton was born in Blackpool, Lancashire in a musical family. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar School. His father, Robert Atherton, was the Music Master at St Joseph's College, Blackpool and was also a conductor... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Young woman | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Josephine Barstow Josephine Barstow Dame Josephine Clare Barstow DBE is an English soprano.-Education and early career:Josephine Barstow was born in Sheffield and educated at the University of Birmingham. She made her professional debut with the touring company Opera for All in 1964... |
| Second soldier's wife | soprano | Felicity Lott Felicity Lott Dame Felicity Ann Emwhyla Lott, DBE, FRCM is an English soprano.-Education:From her earliest years she was musical, having started studying piano at age 5. She also played violin and began singing lessons at 12. She is an alumna of Royal Holloway, University of London, obtaining a BA in French and... |
| Rachel | soprano | Deborah Cook |
| May | soprano | Valerie Masterson Valerie Masterson Margaret Valerie Masterson , is a retired English opera singer, a lecturer and Vice-President of British Youth Opera. After study in Italy, she began to sing opera in Europe... |
| Emperor | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Josephine Veasey Josephine Veasey Josephine Veasey is a British mezzo-soprano, particularly associated with Wagner and Berliozroles.-Life and career:Born in Peckham, she studied with Audrey Langford, and became a member of the Royal Opera House chorus in 1949, she made her debut as a soloist in 1955, as the Shepherd Boy in... |
| General | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Norman Welsby |
| First soldier | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Siegfried Jerusalem Siegfried Jerusalem Siegfried Jerusalem is a German operatic tenor. Closely identified with the heldentenor roles of Wagner, he has performed Siegfried, Siegmund, Lohengrin, Parsifal and Tristan to wide acclaim... |
| Second soldier | tenor | |
| Old woman | mezzo-soprano | Yvonne Kenny Yvonne Kenny Yvonne Kenny AM is an Australian soprano, particularly associated with Handel and Mozart roles.Born in Sydney, she first studied at the University of Sydney in science, hoping to become a biochemist, but decided to pursue a career in music instead... |
| Deserter | tenor | |
| Third soldier | baritone | |
| Fourth soldier | baritone | |
| NCO | baritone | |
| Governor | baritone | |
| Doctor | bass | |
| Aide | bass | |
| Hillcourt | mime | |
Synopsis
The work is in two acts, divided into 11 scenes. The setting is an imaginary empire.The general, who gives no thought to the morality of his profession, has put down an abortive revolution. A deserter is executed, after the general has heard his pleading. Later, the soldier's wife and her mother, who have been looting corpses to try to survive, are also shot. Later, the doctor tells the general that he has a disease that will eventually render him blind. This news causes the general to start to come to terms with his own vulnerability, and to start to question war. Finally repulsed by images of the battlefield wounded, the general leaves the army, but this does not obliterate his past actions.
In Act II, the general has been imprisoned in an insane asylum. The asylum inhabitants obsessively tell tales of violence while tearing at their hair and clothes. They also prepare an imaginary boat for a future escape. One of the general's soldiers tells him of the atrocities going on. The authorities approach the general again to order him to take the field on behalf of the empire. When he refuses, the emperor's henchmen blind him so that he cannot lead a revolution from the asylum. The blind general sees visions of his victims. At the close of the work, the inmates kill the general.