A. The
story presented in Samuel Barber's opera, Vanessa, is entirely the
creation of the librettist, Gian Carlo Menotti. The story is not found
in any of Isak Dinesen's works.
For his first opera, Barber consulted several authors over a period of
years, looking for suitable material. He interviewed Stephen Spender
and Dylan Thomas extensively but was not inspired to write music for
their works. Eventually, after visiting Denmark, and reading and
re-reading Seven Gothic Tales,
he asked his companion, Gian Carlo
Menotti--himself a composer of opera--to write the libretto. Barber
chose a Gothic theme for what was later termed "the first American
opera," against the advice of a close family member, who thought
realism would be more appealing to audiences. Menotti and Barber
proclaimed that the opera reproduced the "atmosphere" of Isak Dinesen's
Seven Gothic Tales. However, there the resemblance to Isak Dinesen's stories ends.
According
to Barbara B. Heyman, author of Samuel Barber: The Composer and his
Music [New York: Oxford University Press, 1992], "Menotti recalled, 'I
was writing a libretto for Sam, and Sam is essentially a romantic
personality. . . .'" Menotti was "inspired by Isak
Dinesen's stories, in particular her Seven Gothic Tales. He said, 'I felt that
the atmosphere. . . would make a wonderful opera.'"
The opera debuted on January 25, 1958. Heyman relates, "Cecil Beaton's
lavish period costumes and sets were designed to capture, in his words,
'the evanescent, elusive atmosphere of the opera. . . mysterious and
not specific.' 'You might call the period Edwardian Gothic,' he said.
'Isak Dinesen is certainly a figure behind the scenes, a vital ghost.'"
Karen Blixen was escorted to the opera on January 7, 1959, by the
composer himself and Menotti. However, part way through the performance
she pleaded illness and left the theater. Her secretary says, in
Notater om Karen Blixen, that Barber was "upset" by her premature departure from the opera. Karen Blixen made no
public comment.
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Supported misspellings: karen blixon, karin, isaac, isak dineson, isak denison, dinison, dinisen, denesen, coolsong, donaldson
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