Kounadis, Arghyris
Der Gummisarg (1968)
Mimos in one scene
Libretto by Otto Staininger after Vassilis Zioghas (G)
Scoring
colS,M,T,Bar,B; chorus;
1(=picc).1(=corA).1(=bcl).asax.1(=dbn)-0.1.1.0-perc-harp-pft-cel-db.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
World Premiere
4/8/1968
Bonn
Conductor: Ralf Weikert
Company: Ensemble Theater Bonn
Roles
| MARKOS, the dead man | Baritone |
| DIMITRAKIS, cousin of the dead man | Bass |
| FEMALE COUSIN of Markos and Dimitrakis | Coloratura Soprano |
| NEPHEW of Markos Dimitrakis | Mezzo soprano |
| SABAS, Markos' Neighbour | Tenor |
| Male neighbours | from the chorus (SA) |
| Female neighbours | from the chorus (TB) |
Time and Place
Living room or any room. Present time
Synopsis The dear neighbour has spent all his money on a coffin. He wants to die. He thinks it proper to die now. His neighbours do not think that is right. They complain about it. The dear neighbour wants to die, to die and to die. Again and again he lies down in his coffin. Suddenly he does not want to die any more. His neighbours do not think that is right. Zioghas’ text fell into my hands accidentally. Contemporary timelessness. What I believed to have found, had to do with both the variety of possible interpretations, deriving from the treatment of the characters – people moving as monumentally as puppets – as well as with the limitations of the fable in a sort of ordinariness, somewhat similar to vaudeville and circus...
Arghyris Kounadis
Moods
Comic, Dramatic
Subjects
Relationships, Society
