Thärichen, Werner

Anaximanders Ende (1958)

Duration: 20 minutes
Chamber opera in one act

Libretto by Wolfdietrich Schnurre (G)

Scoring
A,buffoT,lyrBar; 1.picc.1.1.1-1.1.1.0-timp.perc-pft-trautonium(on tape)-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

World Premiere
10/3/1958
Berlin
Company: Unknown

Roles

THE ELDERLY LADY	Contralto
ANAXIMANDER, her tomcat	Lyric Baritone
THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP	Buffo Tenor

Time and Place
In an attic. Some time

Synopsis

An elderly lady is fond of her tomcat Anaximander. Anaximander is a pleasure-hunting, if narrow-minded, specimen of his species (similarities with another living species are no accident) whose hobby it is to court young and beautiful lady cats on the tin roofs in the surrounding neighbourhood. Of course Anaximander returns to his elderly lady when he feels hungry. The lady gets a rival. A chimney-sweep feels affection for Anaximander. The chimney-sweep is black, has got wings and makes the elderly lady afraid. When she therefore does not want to allow her elegant tomcat to go on the roofs any more, Anaximander threatens to leave her forever. The elderly lady kills her beloved tomcat with the needle she had just been using to sew his resting cushion. The chimney-sweep comes brandishing a pistol and takes Anaximander's corpse away from her.

Moods
Comic, Dramatic, Poetic

Subjects
Relationships, Society

Items on Sale

Anaximanders Ende

Libretto

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