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I, Blavatsky: A One-Act Opera

I, Blavatsky is a one-act opera based on the life of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, a nineteenth-century Russian princess and co-founder of a religious organization called the Theosophical Society. The libretto, by the composer, involves a cast of three principal soloists and minor roles for six more singers who are also participants in a small chorus. The text format features free verse alternating with regular, rhymed strophes. Accompaniment is provided by a piano. Melodic structure combines some nineteenth-century Romantic idioms with twentieth-century style. Most of the melodic and harmonic material was intuitively composed to express the text. Rhythmic and stylistic contrasts are accomplished in the representation of the extensive travels of the main character. Stage directions involve a stylized set, several scenes requiring minimal set changes, magical effects to represent that facet of Blavatsky's life, and onstage costume changes for several characters. Approximate duration is one hour.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc331702
Date05 1900
CreatorsCooper, Steve, 1951 Dec. 4-
ContributorsBrown, Newel K., Dworak, Paul E., 1951-, Clark, Thomas Sidney, Papich, George
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatlxvi, 166 leaves: music, Text
RightsPublic, Cooper, Steve, 1951 Dec. 4-, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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