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CHEKHOVIAN OPERA ADAPTATIONS
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THE BET
chamber opera in 14 scenes
Duration:
90 minutes
Year Composed:
2012
Story By:
Anton Chekhov
Libretto By:
Lior Navok
Language:
English
Dramatis Personæ:
Sergey Borisovitch Bogdanov: banker, age 55; basso cantate
Valeri Andreyevich Smirnov: law student, age 25; lyric baritone
Leonid Pronin: lawyer, age 50; tenor buffo
Vladimir Uritzki: judge, approaching 60; bass-baritone
Watchman: age 40; basso buffo
Orchestra:
1 flute / piccolo / alto flute; 1 oboe / English horn; 1 clarinet / bass clarinet; 1
bassoon / contra bassoon; 1 horn; 1 percussion; 1 harp; 1 piano; strings (6,5,4,3,2)
Abstract:
Critiquing Capitalism à la Chekhov
Russia, November 1870. A greedy law student sneaks into a party hosted by a ruthless banker, only to find himself amidst a heated argument: What is the better punishment—death sentence or life sentence?
The banker challenges the student with a proposition: money in exchange for self-imprisonment.
One year? Two years? The deal is struck:
Fifteen years—for ten million; easy money.
Fifteen years: market changes; social changes; ample time for reflection...
Would the banker remain the same conceited person? Would the student still be greedy? And what would the consequences be?