Letter from H. W. Henze to W. H. Auden/C. Kallman, August 27, 1966
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Context
Absolute Chronology
Preceding
- 1966-08-17: to Sacher
- 1966-08-24: from Sacher
Following
- 1966-09-08: to Kallman
- 1966-09-07: from Kallman
Castelgand‡olfo (Roma)
Via dei Laghi, 18
Herren
Wystan H. Aud‡en
und
Chester Kallman
Hinterholz 6
Kirchstetten bei Wien (Westbahn)
I hear from Filippo
* that you will come to Berlin only two
days before the first night.* Well, how do you think we can
talk about the school-opera in those two days of frenzy?*
Why don’t you just think it all out for yourself and bring
me the result in form of a completed work ? Perhaps only
for speakers (one or two) and the choire[sic]‡, perhaps one solo-
voice and no speaker. Short. 30 minutes.*
I had reserved October for the composition of it, so you
realize the urgency. o‡Plea‡se do not let me
down.*
‡
I hope you are fine, so am I. Please write!
Love,
Editorial
Responsibilities
- Editor(s)
- Elena Minetti
- Transcription
- Elena Minetti; Joachim Veit
Tradition
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Text Source: Basel (Schweiz), Paul Sacher Stiftung (CH-Bps), Sammlung Hans Werner Henze, Abteilung: Korrespondenz
Shelf mark: Auden, Wystan HughPhysical Description
- Document type: Letter
- Durchschlagpapier
- 1 folio
- 1 written page
- Dimensions: 279x220 [mm] (HxW)
- Gelocht.
- Rand: 3,9 cm
- zweizeilig
- Absätze nicht eingerückt
- Leerzeile nach Absatz
Material
Extent
Condition
Layout
Writing styles
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1.Typescript, Henze, Hans Werner.
Text Constitution
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"d""f" overtyped with "d"
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"d""f" overtyped with "d"
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"choire"sic
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"o"erased
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"ea""it" replaced with "ea"
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"… do not let me down."Carbon paper stains and traces of erasures.
Commentary
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"… I hear from Filippo"The Italian scenic and costume designer Filippo Sanjust worked on the production of the premiere of The Bassarids.
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"… before the first night ."The German premiere of Die Bassariden took place at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin on 28 September 1966.
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"… those two days of frenzy?"In his letter to Henze on 14 July 1966 Auden alludes to a work for "schoolchildren" which probably corresponds to Moralities, written for Cincinnati children and based on Aesop’s fables.
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"… no speaker. Short. 30 minutes."In its final form, Moralities would last for 23 minutes and features a mixed choir with soloists, speakers and small orchestra or 2 pianos and percussion.
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"… do not let me down."See also Henze’s subsequent telegram on 28 November 1966.
