Tragic operetta in three acts after the novel ‘Snow White’ (1967) by
Donald Barthelme (1931-1989). Libretto by Micha Hamel.
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Published by Donemus.
Singers
Snow White, young woman – soprano.
Paul, prince – counter tenor.
Hogo de Bergerac, local badass – baritone.
Jane, mean adolescent – mezzo soprano.
Jane’s mother – alto.
Clem, one of the 7 – tenor.
Kevin, one of the 7 – tenor.
Edward, one of the 7 – tenor.
Dan, one of the 7 – baritone.
Bill, leader of the 7– baritone.
Henry, one of the 7 – baritone.
Hubert, one of the 7 – bass.
President of the United States – actor.
Mixed chorus 6.6.6.6.
Large ensemble
Recorders/Duduks/Cromhorn (1 player)
Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute/Bass Flute (1 player)
Oboe/Musette/Corno Inglese/Heckelphon/Piccolo Heckelphone (1 player)
Soprano Sax/Alto Sax/Tenor Sax/BaritoneSax/E-flat Clarinet/
Bass Clarinet/Mouth Organ (1 player)
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet (1 player)
Trumpet/Piccolo Trumpet (1 player)
Trombone/Tenor Tuba (1 player)
Mandolin/Tenor Banjo (1 player)
Electric Guitar
Piano/Harpsichord/Celesta (1 player)
Harp/Carillo Harp (1 player)
Percussion 1
Percussion 2
Violin 1
Violin 2
Violin 3
Viola 1
Viola 2
Cello
Double Bass/Bass Guitar (1 player)
Live registration of the First Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCf1OQKjjuE
Live registration of the Second and Third Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qTyeddoPIg
Synopsis
Snow White lives in a flat with seven men. The men earn a living window washing and canning Chinese baby food. Inside, large pans of baby food bubble away on the stove. The seven take turns stirring them and tightening the lids on glass jars while singing tunes of brotherly love. When they are out there is a lot of work to do, as all the modern offices have glass facades. High upon ladders, they whistle at girls. Once a week they are allowed to go into the shower-room with Snow White; one at a time. But Bill, the leader, is suffering a crisis. He doesn’t want to be touched any more. Snow White is writing modern poetry nowadays. She has taken all kinds of courses and has become an educated and self-assured young woman. She has had enough of the drudging, enough of her dull housemates who are better at drinking than at courting. She wants one real man; not these seven failures. Bill, Clem, Danny, Edward, Hubert, Henry and Kevin can’t understand their 22-year-old kitchen princess. After all, they found her in the forest, brought her home, paid the dentist and so on. And the neighbour Paul may be a blue-blooded young man; he is really just a useless dope. A frog, rather than a prince. Having failed as a painter, he is leaving for the monastery. No one knows where this is going. Everybody wants to be told what to do. Maybe Hogo de Bergerac can provide a solution, or at least give some advice? Hogo is the roughest guy in the neighbourhood. He may be mean, lecherous, and rough talking, but he’s also seen a few things. He drives around in a convertible and hangs out with sixteen-year-old floozy Jane. Jane still lives with her pie-baking mother, and fights boredom by writing threatening letters to random people. She is perfect company for Hogo. That is until Hogo catches a glimpse of Snow White. Of her body. Desperation. No one listens. No one talks. No one thinks. Everyone feels and does and acts and doubts and bullshits and dawdles and fiddles and fails.
Creative team
Director: Marcel Sijm
Conductor: Ed Spanjaard
Stage design: Marc Warning
Costumes: Arno Bremers
Lighting design: Coen van der Hoeven
Singers
Snow White: Rebecca von Lipinski
Hogo de Bergerac: Michael Kraus
Jane: Frances Bourne
Paul: Joseph Schlesinger
Clem: Brad Cooper
Kevin: Robert Burt
Edward: Steven Tharp
Dan: Ville Rusanen
Bill: Mattijs van de Woerd
Henry: Pieter Hendriks
Hubert: Niels van Doesem
Jane’s Mother: Fiona Kimm
President (speaking role): Bram van der Vlugt
Chorus of the Nederlandse Reisopera.
Nieuw Ensemble, 20 musicians playing over 60 instruments.
Commissioned by the Nederlandse Reisopera, in the person of its artistic director, Guus Mostart.
Premiered on the 19th of January 2008, Enschede.
