Venus and Adonis (Venus und Adonis)

Hans Werner Henze

Composer of our Time

Libretto by Hans-Ulrich Treichel

Commissioned by the Bayerische Staatsoper

Period of composition 1993-95
Duration 70 minutes

World premiere: 11. January 1997

Munich · Bayerische Staatsoper

Production Pierre Audi
Design Chloë Obolensky
Conductor Markus Stenz

Three concert singers come together in a strong and erotic conflict. The climax of their emotional outbursts is always taken up and continued by their dancing doubles, who carry on the action under the names of Venus, Adonis and Mars, until an éclat occurs, and breaks up the form of the whole work.

Hans Werner Henze

	soprano	the prima donna
Clemente	tenore	a young opera singer
	baritone	the actor playing the hero’s rôle
6 madrigalisti	2 soprani	shepherds
	1 mezzosoprano	shepherd
	1 tenore	shepherd
	1 baritono	shepherd
	1 basso	shepherd
Venus	attrice ballerina
Adonis	ballerino attore
Mars	ballerino attore
	attrice ballerina	the mare
	ballerino attore	the stallion
	ballerino attore	the boar

Orchestra I “Venus”

3 Flauti	2° anche Ottavino 3° anche Ottavino e Flauto contralto
1 Sassofono contralto	anche Sassofono soprano
1 Trombone contralto
1 Trombone tenore
1 Trombone basso
1 Tuba
Percussione	Tamburo basco Trinidad steel drum Block cinesi Cimbali, Frusta Vibrafono Flessatoni [per 2]
Arpa
4 Violini
3 Viole
3 Violoncelli
1 Contrabbasso

Orchestra II „Adonis“

3Oboi	3° anche Corno inglese
3 Fagotti	3° anche Controfagotto
4 Corni
Percussione	Timpani 4 Tomtom 4 Woodblocks Castagnette [per 2]
Celesta
4 Violini
3 Viole
3 Violoncelli
1 Contrabbasso

Orchestra III “Mars”

3 Clarinetti	2° anche Clarinetto piccolo 3° anche Clarinetto basso
3 Trombe
1 Tromba bassa
Percussione	Timpani 3 Piatti sospesi 3 Tamtam Gong cinesi Tamburo piccolo Grancassa e piatto Marimba [per 3]
Pianoforte
4 Violini
3 Viole
3 Violoncelli
1 Contrabbasso

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Hans Werner Henze

Venus and Adonis (Venus und Adonis)

Opera in one act for singers and dancers

World premiere

Comments

Cast

Instrumentation

see also

Seven Boleros (Sieben Boleros)

Adonis' Bolero

Über Musik nachdenken

Die Tragödie schließt glücklich

Mythische Imagination in der Musik Hans Werner Henzes

Zwei Aquarelle von Hans Werner Henze

Die Oper als Mythos

Venus und Adonis

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Headquarter

	Hastverstraße 32 90408 Nürnberg - Germany
	info@hans-werner-henze-stiftung.de
	+49 (0) 911 2373862