Misplaced Pages

Neither
Opera by Morton Feldman
The composer in 1976
Librettist	Samuel Beckett
Language	English
Premiere	1977 (1977)

Neither is the only opera by Morton Feldman, dating from 1977. Its libretto is a 16-line poem by Samuel Beckett. Composer and librettist had met in Berlin two years earlier with plans for a collaboration for Rome Opera. However, Beckett told Feldman that he himself did not like opera. Feldman had echoed Beckett’s sentiment, so that the work emerged in Rome as a setting for soprano soloist only, accompanied by orchestra. It could theoretically be termed a “monodrama”; however, given the creators’ disdain for opera, the label “anti-opera” fits better.

Recordings

• HatHut, hat (now) ART 180: Sarah Leonard, soprano; Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt; Zoltán Peskó, conductor
• Col Legno, WWE 1CD 20081: Petra Hoffman, soprano; Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Kwamé Ryan, conductor

References

1. "Universal Edition". www.universaledition.com. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
2. "Neither • Salzburg Festival 2021 • Opera • Tickets • Salzburg". Salzburger Festspiele. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
3. Leone, ~ F. D. (2017-10-27). "Morton Feldman's anti-opera 'Neither', a collaboration with Samuel Beckett". Musica Kaleidoskopea. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
4. Strauss, Walter A., Review of Samuel Beckett and Music by Mary Bryden (2000). SubStance, 29 (2, Issue 92): pp. 104-108.
5. "Universal Edition".

External links

• The Modern World, pages on: Feldman and Beckett Neither
• JazzLoft page on recording of Neither
• Neither Wealth Nor Splendor: Getting Morton Feldman’s and Samuel Beckett’s 1977 opera NEITHER from a Workshop Performance in NYC to the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Obstacles Concerned.

• Classical music
• Music

• English-language operas
• Operas
• Operas by Morton Feldman
• Works by Samuel Beckett
• 1977 operas