Benjamin Britten

Death in Venice

Britten's last opera, Death In Venice , is based on the short story by Thomas Mann. It follows the inner turmoil of the ageing novelist Gustav von Aschenbach, who becomes infatuated by a boy he sees on the beach in Venice. Unable to confess his love, he dies as the city is ravaged by plague. Full of atmosphere and intense soundscapes, the simple yet subtle motives pull the opera together with great sureness of touch.

Instrumentation: Gustav von Aschenbach(T),the traveller/multiple role(B-Bar),the voice of Apollo(counter-tenor) 2(=picc).2.2(II=bcl).2 - 2221 - timp - perc(5): 2 SD/2 TD/2 BD/tuned drum/3 tom-t/3 ch.dr/small drum/cyms/2 susp.cym/pair small cym/tamb/wdbl/tgl/2 whip/2 tunedgong/2 tam-t/wind machine/bells/bell tree/crot/vib/2 glsp/2 xyl/mar - pno - harp - strings (min 6.4.3.3.2)