Page 45 - June/July.indd
P. 45

A Consideration of Marc Blitzstein’s Choral Opera, The Condemned (1932)





         era (Figure 8 on page 44). At the end of the scene, the   The final scenes (7 – 11) reveal the ultimate themes

         Condemned again asks to be saved, a gesture of resig-  of the opera, containing the last philosophical and
         nation; the accompanying strings, sounding a dissonant   musical statements from each of the characters. A brief

         B-fl at and finally a C underneath the chorus, foreshad-  and soft instrumental tableau, indicating a temporary
         ow the Condemned’s doubt and rejection of salvation.  peace, serves as a respite from the turmoil of the








































































        CHORAL JOURNAL  June/July 2021                                                              Volume 61  Number 11          43
   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50