Letter from W. H. Auden to H. W. Henze, August 29, 1964
Settings
Show markers in text
Context
Absolute Chronology
Preceding
- 1964-08-16: to Henze
- 1964-08-27: from Henze
Following
- 1964-08-31: to Henze
- 1964-10-26: from Henze
[Manuscript]
Kirchstetten (Westbahn)
Hinterholz 6
N.-Ö.‡, Austria
Many thanks for your letter. Chester .[and] I
are not absolutely convinced that any prologue is
necessary.* Norse‡ mythology is far less well-known
than Greek, but Wagner expected audiences follow
The Ring without explanations. However if you really
feel you want one, the only possible solution we can
see is as follows.
- 1) Dionysus must appear before the curtain in tails and
can‡ (+‡ maybe opera-hat and black cloak). To let him
appear in either of his stage-costumes would ruin
his entries. - 2) He must speak about himself in contemporary terms as
in contemporary prose, addressing a contemporary
opera audience. He will tell‡ them the Greek myth
of his birth in a tone of voice which makes it clear
that he doesn’t believe it to be true ‡ any more than a
modern audience does. “You may account for me”, he will
say, as you like, but, as you see, I exist as a
power to be reckoned with. What happens to Agave, Pentheus,
etc when they tried to ignore or defy‡ him, you will
presently see. Let it be a warning, let the scr‡
something‡ equally horrid happen to you, which, I can
assure you, it certainly will etc etc.
The‡ The speech must be suave, ironic‡ contemptuous ironic
and menacing: the audience must be sa‡ scared
themselves.
What do you think?
We were puzzled and distressed to hear
that
you intend to write no more operas*, because,
according to the accounts, the Living
Theatre had
shown you the light. Really, dear, what balls
is this[sic]‡.
I wish you
would give me more details an‡ exact
details, about your health. a‡ Lack of
knowledge
exaggerates fears
much love from us both
Wystan
Editorial
Responsibilities
- Editor(s)
- Elena Minetti
- Transcription
- Elena Minetti
Tradition
-
Text Source: Basel (Schweiz), Paul Sacher Stiftung (CH-Bps), Sammlung Hans Werner Henze, Abteilung: Korrespondenz
Shelf mark: Auden, Wystan HughPhysical Description
- Document type: Letter
- Briefpapier_Auden_Kirchstetten
- Faltung: 1mal längs, 3mal quer
- 1 folio
- 2 written pages
- Dimensions: 294x219 [mm] (HxW)
- Gelocht.
- Rand: 3 cm
- Eingerückte Absätze
Material
Extent
Condition
Layout
Writing styles
-
1.Handwriting, Auden, Wystan Hugh, ballpoint pen (blue).
-
2.Handwriting, Henze, Hans Werner, ballpoint pen (blue).
Text Constitution
-
"(64)"added inline, handwritten, ballpoint pen (blue), supposedly by Henze, Hans Werner
-
"… August 29 th . (64)"Date in brackets, handwritten with a different blue pen than the one used to write the letter, was probably added later by Henze himself.
-
"… any prologue is necessary. Norse"This word is not clearly legible, but from the context it can be assumed with some certainty that it is the adjective “norse”.
-
"can"crossed out
-
"+"uncertain transcription
-
"tell""give" crossed out and replaced with "tell"
-
"to be true "added above
-
"defy"uncertain transcription
-
"the scr"crossed out
-
"something"uncertain transcription
-
"The"crossed out
-
"ironic"crossed out
-
"sa"crossed out
-
"what balls is this"sic
-
"details an"crossed out
-
"a"erased
-
"you can"crossed out
-
"shall"uncertain transcription
Commentary
-
"N.-Ö."abbreviation of "Niederösterreich".
-
"… that any prologue is necessary."An earlier letter from Henze, in which the composer probably requested a prologue for The Bassarids, has not been located. This letter and the archival materials of the opera confirm that The Bassarids was initially going to open with a prologue featuring Dionysus, as in Euripides’ tragedy The Bacchae, in which he presents himself as a god and states his intention to punish those who did not follow him. However, the fully composed prologue, which Henze most likely wrote subsequent to this letter and whose 18-page manuscript is kept at the Paul Sacher Foundation, was finally eliminated from the score. Instead of the “Prologue of Dionysus”, Auden and Kallman open the story at the beginning of the opera with the chorus of the people of Thebes.
-
"… to write no more operas"After The Bassarids Henze would write eight more operas.
-
Fest-Rede
- celebration speech
-
"… Fest-Rede at Salzburg next year"Auden only gave the opening keynote at the Salzburger Festspiele in 1968. His address was titled Worte und Noten. In 1965, the year Auden refers to in this letter, the address was given by Gabriel Marcel .
