Quick Facts About Agamemnon

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The Opera

Story:                                                  Agamemnon, King of Argos, returns home victorious

                                                            from ten years' absence in the Trojan War, only to be

                                                            murdered upon his arrival by his queen, Klytemnestra

                                                            (based on the ancient Greek tragedy by Aeschylus)

Date of Composition:                        1999-2002

Composer:                                          Andrew Earle Simpson

Librettist:                                            Sarah Brown Ferrario

Language of Libretto:                        English (translated directly from the ancient Greek)

Number of Acts:                                 One

Number of Scenes:                            Eight

Performance Time:                            Approximately 95 minutes (no intermission)

Cast:                                                   6 principal roles (2 sop, 2 tnr, 1 bar, 1 bs-bar); 

                                                            5 choral soloists, (S or T) SATB;

                                                            Chorus SATB (16-20 members)

Dancers:                                              Recommended: 5-7 dancers

Instrumental Scoring:                        Orchestral version:

                                                            2 (II dbl pc)/2 (II dbl EH)/2/2 (II dbl cbn)

                                                            2/2/2/1

                                                            hp/kybd/2 perc

                                                            strings (at least 6/5/4/3/2)

                                                            Chamber Ensemble version:

                                                            vn/vc/pno/1 perc

                                                            (Scores/parts and recording of workshop production

                                                            available upon request from the composer.)

Workshop Production:                       Benjamin T. Rome School of Music Opera Workshop,

                                                            April 20-21, 2001.  Ward Hall, Catholic University,

                                                            Washington, DC.  Ellwood Annaheim, director;

                                                            Jean Hsu, conductor; Douglas Yeuell, choreographer;

                                                            Mahlon Peterson, chorus master; Michael Cordovana,

                                                            musical preparation

                                                            The chamber ensemble scoring was employed for the

                                                            workshop production.  Excerpts from the workshop's

                                                            performances can be heard on the mp3 page of this website.

The Roles

Watchman, palace servant                    Tenor

Klytemnestra, Queen of Argos            Soprano

Herald, from Agamemnon's army         Bass-Baritone

Agamemnon, King of Argos                Baritone

Kassandra, Trojan princess                 Soprano

Aegisthus, lover of Klytemnestra         Tenor

Choral Soloists/Chorus

Soloist 1: Coryphaea/-us                       Soprano or Tenor

Soloist 2                                               Soprano

Soloist 3                                               Alto

Soloist 4                                               Tenor

Soloist 5                                               Bass

Chorus                                                 SATB (16-20 members)