This paper investigates the opera adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play »A Streetcar Named Desire« by André Previn. Particular attention is going to be paid to the relation between the original play and the changes made in the opera or caused by the change of genre. Naturally an adaptation of a play into an opera necessitates a shortening of the original text to turn it into an opera libretto. The music added to the play may also change its atmosphere, mood - it might even be an interpretation which is not contained in the play to that extent. Thus this paper follows up on these possible differences and examines whether André Previn succeeded in writing an opera »A Streetcar Named Desire« meeting the high expectations caused by the popularity of the play.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Why Streetcar as an opera?
- Play and Opera - Differences and Similarities
- The Libretto
- The Characters
- The Music
- Reception of the Opera
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the operatic adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, focusing on the relationship between the original play and the changes made in the opera. It investigates the challenges and possibilities of adapting a play into an opera, particularly considering the need to shorten the text, the influence of music on the atmosphere and mood, and the potential for interpretation that might not be present in the original play. The paper aims to assess whether André Previn's opera adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire met the expectations set by the play's popularity.
- The challenges and possibilities of adapting a play into an opera.
- The impact of musical adaptation on the original text and its themes.
- The relationship between the music and the atmosphere and mood of the opera.
- The role of interpretation in operatic adaptation.
- The success of André Previn's opera adaptation in meeting audience expectations.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter introduces the paper's focus on the operatic adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire and its aim to analyze the relationship between the play and the opera. It explores the potential benefits and drawbacks of transforming the play into an operatic format, highlighting the challenges of shortening the text, the influence of music on the atmosphere and mood, and the potential for interpretation in operatic adaptation.
The second chapter delves into the reasons why A Streetcar Named Desire might be suitable for an operatic adaptation, discussing its poetic, dramatic, and emotional qualities, along with its potential for expressing psychological themes through music. The chapter also explores the presence of music in the original play, particularly the significance of the "Blue Piano" and the "Varsouviana," which serve as indicators of atmosphere and mood.
The third chapter compares the original play with the opera adaptation, focusing on the changes made to the libretto and the influence of music on the overall atmosphere and mood of the work. It examines the challenges of shortening the text while preserving the essence of Williams' original work, and the impact of music on the portrayal of characters and themes.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key themes and concepts in the work include: A Streetcar Named Desire, operatic adaptation, Tennessee Williams, André Previn, libretto, music, atmosphere, mood, interpretation, adaptation, transformation, play, opera, differences, similarities, reception.
- Quote paper
- Katharina Kierig (Author), 2004, Tennessee Williams' Play "A Streetcar Named Desire" - An Opera Missing the Music?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66733
