A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck

Tony Kushner

2S,3MS,1T,1Bar,1BBar,Trio of Voices;
0.0.1+asax.1-2.0.0.0-perc(2)-pft-strings

Massachusetts 1951

A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck offers a glimpse into the turbulent marriage of Eugene O’Neill and his wife Carlotta Monterey through the lens of one of their frequent emotionally destructive arguments.

Inspired by a real-life 1951 incident between the couple, the opera begins in the midst of an angry quarrel over his desire to keep the heat turned low in their frigid Massachusetts home as a blizzard rages outside. Their inflamed emotional argument escalates as they trash each other’s characters and careers. O’Neill storms out of the house and Carlotta follows later, looking. While they are out in the storm, both O’Neill and Carlotta experience hallucinatory episodes. They’re discovered separately the next morning, O’Neill nearly frozen to death.

Times Union
...a power and immediacy that’s rare to new works.”

The Glove and Mail
“...soaring and evocative.”

The New York Times

“...here was a quirky and intriguing compositional voice, a score full of pungent harmonic writing and elusive orchestral commentary on the action.”

Financial Times
“...stimulating...listener-friendly eclecticism...”