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Ausrine Stundyte as Cio-Cio-San, Elizabeth Janes as Butterfly’s child and Sarah Larsen as Suzuki in Seattle Opera's production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Photo by Elise Bakketun.
North American Works Directory Listing
Amistad
Composer: Anthony Davis
Librettist: Thulani Davis
Other Artistic Personnel: George C. Wolfe (Stage Director)
Dennis Russell Davies (Conductor)
Original Cast: Thomas Young (The Trickster)
Florence Quivar (Goddess of the Waters)
Mark S. Doss (Cinque)
Mark Baker (The Navigator)
Eugene Perry (Antonio)
Stephen West (John Quincy Adams)
Kimberly Jones (Margru)
Bruce Hall (Lieutenant)
Work Web Site: http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2420&State_2874=2&workId_2874=27225
Premiere Date: November 29, 1997
Producing Company: Lyric Opera of Chicago and American Music Theater Festival of Philadelphia
Description: In 1839 the slave ship Amistad was discovered drifting near the US coast. The African slaves had revolted against the Spanish crew, killing all but two members. The US Navy jailed the Africans and released their hostages. For nearly three years the courts debated their fate: Spain wished to recover their property but a group of abolitionists sued for the Africans' freedom. Former president John Quincy Adams argued their case before the Supreme Court. The testimony provided a rare glimpse into the horrors of the Middle Passage that slaves endured in crossing the Atlantic. Adams won the case; the Navy was ordered to return the Africans to Africa.
Character List (Major): Trickster God(t)
Cinque(b-bar)
Rep. John Quincy Adams(b)
Goddess of the Waters(mz)
Navigator(t)
Character List (Minor): Abolitionist Tappan(t)
Phrenologist(t)
Antonio(bar)
Kaleh(t)
Margru(s)
Grabeau(bar)
Bumah(b)
Kinnah(t)
Bahia(lyr mz)
American Lieutenant(bar)
Judge(bar)
Don Pedro(b)
Spaniard(b)
Pres. Van Buren(t)
Southern Senator(bar)
Abolitionist Lawyer(bar)
Ship Cook(b)
Six Reporters(b, bar, t)
Comments: Lyric Opera of Chicago collaborated with the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, the DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago, and other local and national organizations in producing related educational/outreach programs.
Length: 02:40
Total Acts: 2
Chorus: Chorus of 48 (24 black, 24 white)
Orchestration: 2 fl(picc), 2ob(Eng Hrn), 2 cl(bcl), 2 bsn(cbn) - 4 hrn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, 1 tba - timp, 3 perc - pf(cel), hp - str - Jazz ens: 2 reeds, tbn, bass, drums
Musical Style: Grand opera incorporating material drawn from traditional African music & contemporary American styles
Contact: G. Schirmer, Inc.
Address: 257 Park Avenue South, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10010
E-mail Address: pm@schirmer.com
Phone: 212-254-2100
Composer Web Site: http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&composerId_2872=330
Publisher Web Site: http://www.schirmer.com
Schedule of Performances Listings
Amistad (Davis)
Saturday, November 29, 1997 - Lyric Opera of Chicago

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