[Part 1 of The Oresteia Project]
Agamemnon (1999-2001)
opera in one act on Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, 100 minutes
Libretto by Sarah B. Ferrario (trans. from the ancient Greek)
Synopsis
King Agamemnon of Argos, leader of the Greek armies in the Trojan War, returns home triumphantly, only to be murdered by his wife, Queen Klytemnestra
Instrumentation
Orchestra: 2222/2221/2 perc/hp/kybd/strings
Chamber ensemble: violin, cello, piano, 1 percussion
Cast
Klytemnestra, Queen of Argos (mezzo-soprano)
Agamemnon, King of Argos (baritone)
Kassandra, Trojan captive (coloratura soprano)
Herald (bass-baritone)
Aegisthus, cousin of Agamemon (tenor)
SATB chorus
Dancers
Klytemnestra reveals the corpses of Agamemnon and Kassandra to the Chorus
Jessi Baden, mezzo-soprano (Klytemnestra)
Listen + Watch
The Sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter Iphigenia: Chorus and Dancers
Agamemnon returns in triumph from conquered Troy
Catholic University Opera Theater
Hartke Theater, Washington, DC
April 2003 full-stage premiere production
Lies!
Ten Years Ago
A Woman Abandoned
You Lie Here in a Spider’s Web
Performers: Jessi Baden, mezzo-soprano, Catholic University Opera Theater