Street Scene

American opera in two acts

book by Elmer Rice, based on his play of the same name

Edition: Performance material

Product Details

Description

The story brings the audience into the lives of the tenants of a shabby apartment building in a street in 1920s New York. Filled with hope, violence, love and disappointment, their stories unfold on the pavement in the evening and following morning of this hot day in June.

Kurt Weill called the ‘American opera’ Street Scene, which was premièred in New York in 1947 and inspired by Elmar Rice’s play of the same name, his main musico-dramatic work. It was the fulfilment of his long-cherished dream to write an American opera. In fact, Street Scene is no superficial fusion of European opera and American Broadway music.

Orchestral Cast

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Cast

Singing roles: Anna Maurrant · dramatic soprano - Frank Maurrant · bass-baritone - Willie Maurrant · boy soprano - Rose Maurrant · lyric soprano - Sam Kaplan · tenor - Abraham Kaplan · tenor buffo - Harry Easter · Broadway baritone - Henry Davis · baritone - Lippo Fiorentino · tenor - George Jones · baritone - Carl Olsen · bass - Mrs. Fiorentino · coloratura soprano - Mrs. Jones · mezzo-soprano - Mrs. Olsen · alto - Daniel Buchanan · buffo tenor - Jenny Hildebrand · soprano - 2nd graduate · soprano - 3rd graduate · mezzo-soprano - Mrs. Hildebrand · mezzo-soprano - Nursemaids · soprano, mezzo-soprano - three children - Dick McGann · singer-dancer - Mae Jones · singer-dancer
Speaking roles: Mrs. Jones, Steve Sankey, Shirley Kaplan, Vincent Jones, Dr. Wilson, Officer Murphy, city marshal, Fred Cullen, milkman, policeman, old clothes man, intern, ambulance driver, married couple, passerby, neighbors, children

More Information

Title:

Street Scene

American opera in two acts

book by Elmer Rice, based on his play of the same name

lyrics by Langston Hughes and Elmer Rice

German translation by Lys Symonette

Language:

German, English

Edition:

Performance material

Publisher/Label:

European American Music Corporation

Year of composition:

1946

World Premiere:

January 9, 1947 · New York, NY (USA)
Adelphi Theatre
Conductor: Maurice Abravanel
Original staging: Charles Friedman
(scenic)

Technical Details

Product number:

LEA 4220-01

Delivery rights:

Distribution rights for Germany: Schott Music. Distribution rights for Europe excluding Germany: Universal Edition. Distribution rights for all other territories: European American Music Corporation