Composer

:

Virgil Thomson

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1927 - 1928

First Performance

:

Feb 8, 1934

Average_duration

:

70:42

Four Saints in Three Acts is an opera composed by Virgil Thomson with a libretto by Gertrude Stein. The opera was composed in 1927 and premiered on February 20, 1934, at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. It was the first opera to feature an all-black cast. The plot of the opera is non-linear and abstract, with no clear narrative structure. It follows the lives of four saints, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Chavez, and St. Plan, as they interact with each other and with a chorus of angels. The saints are portrayed as ordinary people, with flaws and weaknesses, rather than as idealized figures. The music of Four Saints is characterized by its use of American vernacular music, including jazz, blues, and spirituals. Thomson's score is sparse and simple, with a focus on melody and rhythm rather than complex harmonies. The opera also features spoken dialogue, which is delivered in a rhythmic, musical style. The premiere of Four Saints was a critical and commercial success, with audiences and critics alike praising the opera's innovative style and use of an all-black cast. The opera went on to have a successful run in New York City, where it was performed at the 44th Street Theatre. Four Saints in Three Acts is divided into two acts, each with several movements. The movements are titled after the characters and themes of the opera, such as "St. Ignatius and the Wild Asses" and "The Heavenly Life." The opera also features a chorus of angels, who sing in a style reminiscent of African-American spirituals. Overall, Four Saints in Three Acts is a groundbreaking opera that challenged traditional operatic conventions and paved the way for future American composers. Its use of American vernacular music and an all-black cast helped to establish a new, distinctly American style of opera.

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