OPERA SEARCH
The Blind
(2001)Auerbach, Lera (Libretto, E)
2S.2M.2A.2T.2Bar.2B (6 solo voices with chorus)
Abbreviations (PDF)
Sikorski
| FIRST BLIND WOMAN | Soprano |
| SECOND BLIND WOMAN | Mezzo-soprano |
| THIRD BLIND WOMAN | Contralto |
| FOURTH BLIND WOMAN | Soprano |
| FIFTH BLIND WOMAN | Mezzo-soprano |
| SIXTH BLIND WOMAN | Contralto |
| FIRST BLIND MAN | Tenor |
| SECOND BLIND MAN | Baritone |
| THIRD BLIND MAN | Bass |
| FOURTH BLIND MAN | Tenor |
| FIFTH BLIND MAN | Baritone |
| SIXTN BLIND MAN | Bass |
| A DEAD PRIEST, A LITTLE CHILD | Mute roles |
In a lonely forest glade, a group of blind people await the return of the priest, who had led them there to enjoy the last rays of the sun before the onset of winter. Only the rush of the nearby ocean is to be heard. The longer the wait, the more uneasy the blind become: despairingly, they realize that in their helplessness they are unable to move from their place. Their fear increases to pure horror when they discover the priest’s dead body. The blind form a circle around the dead priest and begin to pray for forgiveness and deliverance. During the prayer, footsteps become audible. The presence of something eerie fuels the panic of the blind, who become more and more fervent in their prayer. In his mother’s arms, a small child, the only one in the group with healthy eyesight, breaks into fearful crying. What does the child see? Is it the approaching rescue so desperately hoped for, or is it death?