The Ice Break - Production details

Opera in three acts (1973-76)
70 minutes
Text by the composer

Lev, a 50 year old teacher - bass Nadia, his wife - lyric soprano Yuri, their son - baritone Gayle, Yuri's present native-born white girl friend - dramatic soprano Hannah, Gayle's black friend - rich mezzo Olympion, Hannah's boyfriend - tenor Luke, a young intern at Hannah's hospital - tenor Lieutenant - baritone Astron, a psychedelic messenger - lyric mezzo and high tenor (or counter tenor) Chorus of various people (SATB)

2 (2 piccolos) 2 cor anglais 2 (clarinet in E flat) bass clarinet 2 contrabassoon - 4 2 3 1 - timpani percussion (7 players: side drum, tenor drum, bass drum, slit drum, 5 tuned drums, jazz kit, timbales, bongos, cymbal, suspended cymbal, wood blocks, temple blocks, castanets, whip, triangle, large triangle, sleigh bells, flexatone, tam-tam, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, claves, guiro, glass chimes, bamboo wind chimes, metal bar, wind machine) - harp piano celesta electric organ electric guitar bass guitar - strings.

Vocal score ED 11253
Libretto ED 11253a

Commissioned by the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. First performance conducted by Sir Colin Davis and produced by Sam Wanamaker with choreography by Walter Raines at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 7 July 1977

Nadia: Heather Harper
Yuri: Tom McDonnell
Gayle: Josephine Barstow
Hannah: Beverley Vaughan
Olympion: Clyde Walker
Lev: John Shirley-Quirk
Lieutenant: Roderick Kennedy
Luke: John Dobson
Astron: Anne Wilkens
: James Bowman

1978 Buehnen der Landeshauptstadt, Kiel
Producer: Heinz Lukas-Kindermann
Conductor: Walter Gillessen

1979 The Opera Company of Boston
Producer: Sarah Caldwell