Antony and Cleopatra
Music by Samuel Barber · libretto by Franco Zeffirelli · premiered 1966 · at The Metropolitan Opera
Antony and Cleopatra, Op. 40, is an opera in three acts by American composer Samuel Barber. The libretto was prepared by Franco Zeffirelli. It was based on the play Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare and made use of Shakespeare's language exclusively. The opera was first performed on September 16, 1966, commissioned for the opening of the new Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It was created as a starring vehicle for Leontyne Price. After an unsuccessful premiere, the opera was extensively revised by Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti into an edition first performed in 1975. Barber also prepared a concert suite of Cleopatra's arias entitled Two Scenes from "Anthony and Cleopatra" which was premiered by Price in Washington, D.C. with the National Symphony Orchestra on February 24, 1968. It became a well known concert piece for orchestra and soprano.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Antony and Cleopatra (Barber)", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Samuel Barber is the composer of record for this opera.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Samuel Barber", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Samuel Barber
- A Hand of Bridge (1959)