Benjamin Britten’s dramatic cantata Phaedre, with a libretto adapted from a verse translation of Racine’s play Phèdre by Robert Lowell, is a powerful fifteen-minute monologue for soprano, dancers and chamber orchestra tracing the Queen’s psychological and emotional state during the last compelling moments of her life. The work was first performed by Janet Baker and the English Chamber Orchestra in June 1976 at the 29th Aldeburgh Festival. Britten’s brilliant orchestration propels this story of sex and guilt to a sensational ending.
STAFF
Set Design Charles Townsend Wittreich, Jr.
Costume Design Marianne Powell-Parker
Lighting Design Stephen Petrilli
Puppetry and Exotic Dance Soliton
Musical Direction by John Yaffé
Rehearsal Accompanists Pei Wen Chen & Noby Ishida
Musical Preparation Christopher Fecteau, Jennifer S. Peterson
Puppet by Chris Burney
Stage Manager Francys Olivia Burch
Electrician Michael Anthony
Set Constructed by David Duwell
Lighting Crew Ted Bannigan, Ann-Marie Brady, Danielle Maul
Graphics Cabot
Public Relations Suzanne L. Ford
Photography Elaine Criscione
Movement Coach Fran Kirmser
CAST
Phaedra Elizabeth Keusch
Hippolytus Danny Katz
Oenone Ayla Yavin
Handmaiden Melissa Ngirailemesang
ORCHESTRA
Flute/Piccolo (Michael Laderman)
Oboe (Joan Dawidziak)
Clarinet (David Gresham)
Bassoon (Monica Ellis)
French Horn (Tim McCarthy)
Trumpet (Steve Bohall)
Trombone (Mike Seltzer)
Timpani (David Cox)
Percussion (Gregory Beyer)
Piano/Harpischord (Pei Wen Chen, Noby Ishida)
Violin I (Patrisa Tommasini, Evija Ozolins)
Violin II (Sageun Han, Andrea Oey)
Viola (Georg Whetstone, Brian Lang)
Cello (Chagit Glaser, Peri Mauer)
Bass (Laurence Goldman, Miles Cowan)
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Greg Trupiano for Casting Service
Chris Burney & Second Stage
Alan Buchman and the Salon Theatre
Julia Chu, Esq., Prudential Securities
John Creech, Production and Design, Richard Johnson, Chairman of Theater Dept., Rob Monaco, Carole Caprio, Anne Keebough, Suffolk County Community College, It’s A Jungle Out There Gift Shop
This production was made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the arts (a state agency), the Cornelius N. Bliss Memorial Fund, the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Edith Meiser Foundation, the Nancy Quinn Fund through ART/NY, Judith Randal Foundation, Spector Family Foundation, the Virgil Thomson Foundation, Times Mirror and Prudential Securities Matching Gifts Program, and our generous patrons.
A special thanks to the 92nd StreetY School of Music
Mark Riggleman, Director
Phaedra presented by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., sole agent in the USA and Canada for Faber Music Ltd., London, publisher and copyright owner.
