# Searching for opera libretto...



## arsnova (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi all,

I come in search of help - I'm trying to find a short story or short play to use as the basis for a small opera (of around 20 mins in length). To give an indication of style, I've been looking at Kafka, henry james, Edgar Allen Poe... but I've yet to find something that resonates. I'm looking for something that is easy to stage - for example something that is set in one room, that can be adapted for three or less characters. My favourite playwrights are people like Harold Pinter, where the drama is so realist and is presented in such as straight way, that it borders on being slightly surreal. BUT, the text MUST be out of copyright, so Pinter is royally out of the window. 

Anyone have any suggestions?!


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## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

Hum... Well, that Kafka you've spoken of, look for _The metamorphosis_. Surely that stands far away from reality as we see it.

I've mentioned this before and i'll maintain my statement: If i'm ever to be able to write Opera, i'd start with Kafka.


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

dionisio said:


> Hum... Well, that Kafka you've spoken of, look for _The metamorphosis_. Surely that stands far away from reality as we see it.
> 
> I've mentioned this before and i'll maintain my statement: If i'm ever to be able to write Opera, i'd start with Kafka.


Last year "La Metamorfosi",an Opera based on the Kafka novel, was premiered at Il Maggio Fiorentino.
Here a video of it if you are interested:
La Metamorfosi


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## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

This can be a passionate and short story. Is a Greek legend about the first man who was killed in the Trojan war and the grief of his wife. There are a lot of versions about it. I invented my own version mixing several versions. The story can be replaced in some contemporary war and the names reinvented. 
If you want to read more about it you can found different versions of this story in internet or in the book: The Greek myths by Robert Graves (complete edition, page 162)

This is my own version about Laodamia’s legend. I invented the alive doll: 

Laodamia in his room, tells his tragedy:

“-Laodamia heard of the death of her husband, Protesilaus in the Trojan war. 
-She was so in love and missed him so much that she made an image of him, a doll, which she worshipped.
-Laodamia, being compelled by her father to marry another man, spent her nights with the image of Protesilaus.”

At this point the action begins:

She prayed to the infernal gods to be allowed to converse with Protesilaus only for the space of three hours (or 5 minutes). 
Protesilaus’s ghost, on returning from the lower world, found his wife embracing his image. The doll became alive. (they sing about love, or they make sex) 
Her new husband saw her holding the image of Protesilaus in her embrace and kissing it. 
Thinking she had a lover, he came and burst into the room with a weapon, he saw the doll of Protesilaus. 
To put an end to her torture the new husband, who really loves her, ordered her to burn the doll (he can sing something passionate and sorrowful), she did it.
But Laodamia, not enduring her grief got crazy and she threw herself with the image into the flames and was burned to death.

Good luck!


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

Twenty minutes isn't all that long -that's not even a full act, just one scene. Characterization, development, and resolution must be accomplished pretty quickly. Even a short story source must be a short, short story. My first thought was O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi". Apparently that's already been adapted as an opera, but perhaps one of his other irony-laden vignettes would be suitable. As I recall, Ernest Hemingway had lots of short stories that were heavy on characterization and light on action, though I suppose those might still be in copyright territory. 

I thought of a scene from Greek or Arthurian legend too, but those less relatable kinds of characters probably require much longer to establish, and stagability could be tough requiring period-ish, or at least herioc, sets and costumes, etc...


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Here's an idea I had some time ago - Tales of Poe. Three prisoners in a cell waiting for the axe, trying to figure out which of them is the worst ... each with one of Poe's tales to tell of himself. Cask of Amontillado would have to be one of them, The Black Cat I think the second, but I can't really decide on the third - of course, with three tales, you're well over the 20 min mark. Sorry.


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