Thomas Pasatieri - The Seagull

(1972)
Opera in 3 acts; libretto by Kenward Elmslie, based on Anton Chekhov's play, The Seagull (1896). Revised 2004.

Premiere

March 5, 1974, Houston Grand Opera. Notable productions: Seattle Opera, 1976; Washington Opera, 1978; Atlanta Civic Opera, 1980; Fort Worth Opera, 1982; The Manhattan School of Music, 2002. Revised version premiere: April 23, 2004, San Francisco Opera Center.

Original Cast

Charles Rosenkrans, conductor
Frank Corsaro, director
Allen Charles Klein, set and costume designer

Synopsis

Act I: In the garden of Sorin's estate, the private premiere of an avant-garde theater piece is taking place. it has been created by Constantine, a young would-be writer, and is performed by the aspiring actress, Nina, with whom he is in love. As twilight falls, the audience gathers. They consist of Sorin, a semi-invalid bachelor; Dorn, his doctor; and Shamrayeff, his estate manager; along with Shamrayeff's wife, Pauline, and his daughter, Masha. Also present are Constantine's mother, Mme. Arkadina, a famous actress; Trigorin, a successful author with whom she is having an affair; and Medvedenko, a schoolteacher in love with Masha. Arkadina disrupts the performance with her jibes and jokes, and Constantine runs off, humiliated. Nina is introduced to Trigorin, and the two are mutually attracted. Voices from across the lake are heard singing, prompting Arkadina to recall the old days, full of love affairs, when the lake seemed magical. Night has fallen, and the members of the party go indoors. Masha confesses to Dr. Dorn that she is desperately in love with Constantine.

A picnic is in progress. A buoyant Arkadina reveals the secrets of her eternal youth to Masha and Nina. A quarrel erupts when Shamrayeff refuses to spare Arkadina any horses for a jaunt to town. In a rage, she threatens to leave for Moscow, and Shamrayeff resigns. Constantine appears with a seagull that he has just shot and lays the bird at Nina's feet. He grows bitter about the failure of his play and at Nina's subsequent coolness toward him. Seeing Trigorin, he leaves. Trigorin tries to deflect Nina's hero-worship of him by confessing how empty and absurd his life as a writer really is. Inspired by the sight of the dead seagull, he improvises an idea for a story: A man, who is just passing through, on a whim emotionally devastates a young girl at a lakeside. From the house, Arkadina calls out that she and her party are not leaving after all.

Act II: In Sorin's dining room, Masha drunkenly confesses to Trigorin that she has decided to marry Medvedenko, but that she couldn't have gone on living if a suicide attempt that Constantine has just made had succeeded. Nina gives Trigorin a medallion as a going-away present. Their emotional farewell is interrupted by the sound of Arkadina's voice. Alone with her son, Arkadina treats his head wound. They recall their happiness when he was a child and how they had all the time in the world to be together. Abruptly, Constantine harangues his mother about her involvement with Trigorin who, he says, is too cowardly to accept Constantine's challenge to a duel and is also toying with Nina's affections. A violent quarrel ends in a reconciliation between mother and son. Trigorin returns and asks Arkadina if they can stay a day longer. Arkadina attacks him for his infatuation with Nina and reveals the extent of her passion for him. Trigorin's resistance crumbles, and he agrees to leave with her at once. Shamrayeff announces that the horses are waiting, and in a flurry of farewells Arkadina sweeps out. Trigorin hangs behind, pretending to look for a notebook. Nina enters and announces that she has decided to become an actress and is leaving for Moscow too. Trigorin and Nina embrace.

Several years have passed. In Sorin's study, Masha quarrels with Medvedenko and refuses to go home to look after their baby. Arkadina returns from the station, Trigorin in tow. He and Constantine manage a chilly rapprochement. Pauline announces dinner. Constantine remains at his desk, but the others, including Sorin, now in a wheelchair, go into the dining room. Nina bursts into the study, and, spurred by her fear of being discovered, Constantine locks the doors. He tells her that he still loves her in spite of her past affair with Trigorin. Nina confesses that she still loves Trigorin and always will, even though he has now abandoned her. Alone, Constantine destroys his manuscript. The dinner party over, Arkadina, Shamrayeff, Trigorin, Dr. Dorn, Masha, and Pauline sit down to play lotto, while Sorin naps. Arkadina wins the first game and then exultantly describes her recent triumph as Jocasta in a performance at Kharkhov. As she is acting out a scene, a shot rings out. Dr. Dorn goes to see what it is and informs them that a bottle of ether has exploded. Quietly, he takes Trigorin aside to tell him what Arkadina already seems to sense: Constantine has killed himself.

The Seagull [purchase]

Premiere

Original Cast

Synopsis