The Ice Break

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The Ice Break is an opera by Michael Tippett, to an original English libretto by the composer. It was first produced at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on July 7, 1977, conducted by Colin Davis (its dedicatee).

A German translation was performed in Kiel the following year, and the Boston Opera Company mounted the work in May 1979 under the direction of Sarah Caldwell, the first professional production of a Tippett opera in the USA. It was revived at Covent Garden the same year, but was not thereafter seen until a 1990 concert production at the Henry Wood Proms in the Royal Albert Hall in 1990. A recording was made with the 1990 cast.

The composer has said that the subject of the opera is "whether or not we can be reborn from the stereotypes we live in."

[edit] Roles

Character Lev, a 50 year old teacher Nadia, his wife Yuri, their son Gayle, Yuri’s native-born white girlfriend Hannah, Gayle’s black friend Olympion, Hannah’s boyfriend Luke, a young intern at Hannah’s hospital Lieutenant Astron, a psychedelic messenger

Voice part (composer's descriptions) bass lyric soprano baritone dramatic soprano rich mezzo-soprano tenor tenor baritone lyric mezzo-soprano and high tenor (or countertenor)

Original cast John Shirley-Quirk Heather Harper Tom McDonnell Josephine Barstow Beverly Vaughn Clyde Walker