Lizzie Borden (opera)
Lizzie Borden is the best known opera by Jack Beeson. It is based on the real-life case of Lizzie Borden.
It was written in 1965 and premiered on March 25, 1965 by the New York City Opera conducted by Anton Coppola. The English libretto is by Kenward Elmslie after a scenario by Richard Plant. It is in three acts and an epilogue.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, March 25, 1965 (Conductor: – Anton Coppola) |
|---|---|---|
| Lizzie Borden | mezzo-soprano | Brenda Lewis |
| Margret Borden, Lizzie's sister | soprano | Anne Elgar |
| Captain Jason MacFarlane, Margret's love interest | baritone | Richard Fredricks |
| Abigail Borden, the stepmother | soprano | Ellen Faull |
| Andrew Borden. Lizzie's father | baritone | Herbert Beattie |
| Reverend Harrington | tenor | Richard Krause |
Synopsis
The plot is a dramatic retelling of the famed double axe murders of the stepmother and the father of the title character in Fall River, Massachusetts. However a great deal of dramatic changes are made for effectiveness on the stage.