This 1960's opera is based on the theme or general story
of the play by the ancient Greek playwrite Aristophanes. The play was rewritten
and adapted to modern dialogue and times, to be a protest against war,
and a statement about modern western society.
Originally composed 1963-1967 and to be performed by
the Wayne State University (Detroit) opera workshop, midst great controversy,
as a protest to the Vietnam War. It had characters
depicting Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, and others of the time. An update section
in the opera suggests easy ways, with only a few changes, to further update
the play to make it applicable to any time period, as long as wars continue.
Because Aristophanes' basic theme is universal, such an update merely requires
a bit of creative change of character-names and costumes. For example,
one character could be re-named "SonuvaBush," and the like.
There are appendices to help organize rehearsal groups.
The opera can also be done as a straight play or a play using some of the
music as an unsung background music. See below,
for the availability of a separate inexpensive Libretto (Click
for Synopsis).
Limited edition (60 copies numbered)
280 pp., 9 x12, finely illustrated.. Hardcover, hand-tooled
finish in brown & gold
$130.oo postpaid U.S. (Public or University
Libraries only)
15 copies left at this writing.
A soft-cover public edition
of the full opera is $90.oo U.S. postpd.
.
For publicly available excerpts in inexpensive
sheet-music form,
