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An American TragedyOpera in Two Acts Music by Tobias Picker Text in English by Gene Scheer, after the novel by Theodore Dreiser Visit The Metropolitan Opera's An American Tragedy website to view additional background articles on the original novel and the real-life trial on which it was based -- as well as photos from rehearsals, bios of the creative team, plus an interview with Tobias Picker and more. World Premiere: Metropolitan Opera, December 2, 2005 |
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Cast & Characters
The Cast
Roberta Alden: Patricia Racette
Sondra Finchley: Susan Graham
Elizabeth Griffiths: Jennifer Larmore
Elvira Griffiths: Dolora Zajick
Samuel Griffiths: Kim Begley
Gilbert Griffiths: William Burden
Clyde Griffiths: Nathan Gunn
Orville Mason: Richard Bernstein
Conductor: James Conlon
The Characters
Clyde Griffiths (baritone): A young American man.
Hortense (soprano): A beautiful young maid.
Grace Marr (soprano): A worker at Samuel Griffiths’ factory.
Roberta Alden (soprano): A pretty worker at Samuel Griffiths’ factory—later, Clyde’s fiancée.
Bella Griffiths (soprano): Clyde’s cousin, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth.
Elvira Griffiths (mezzo-soprano): Clyde’s mother, a missionary.
Elizabeth Griffiths (mezzo-soprano): Samuel’s wife.
Sondra Finchley (mezzo-soprano): A beautiful, wealthy woman. She is a close friend of the wealthy Griffiths family.
Young Clyde (boy soprano)
Samuel Griffiths (tenor): Clyde’s uncle, a wealthy industrialist.
Gilbert Griffiths (tenor): Clyde’s stuck-up cousin, son of Samuel and Elizabeth.
Reverend McMillan (tenor): A minister who visits Clyde before his execution.
Orville Mason (bass): District Attorney.

