Atlantis

Scenic cantata in a prologue and three parts. Based on the Catalan poem L’Atlàntida by Mosén Jacinto Verdaguer.
Unfinished. Revised and completed by Ernesto Halffter.

Composition Dates

1927-1946

Place and Date for Premier

Concert version: Barcelona, Liceu Theatre, 24th November 1961; Eduardo Toldrá, conductor.
Stage version: Milan, La Scala, 18th June 1962; Thomas Schippers, conductor.
“Definitive” version: Lucerne Festival, 9th September 1976; Jesús López Cobos, conductor.

Script

Prologue:

• L’Atlàntida submergida

• Hymnus hispanicus

First part:

• L’incendi dels Pirineus

• Ària de Pirene

• Cantic a Barcelona

Second part:

• Alcides i Gerió el tricèfal-Cantic a l’Atlàntida

• Els jocs de les Plèiades

• Arribada d’Alcides a Gades

• Veus missatgeres

• La Veu Divina

Third part:

• El Pelegrí

• El somni d’Isabel

• Les caravel.les

• La Salve en el mar

• La nit supreme

Characters:
The Chorus Leader (baritone); The Child (treble voice); Pyrene (contralto); Geryon (2 tenors and 1 baritone); the seven Pleiades —Maia, Arethusa and Caleno (sopranos), Erytheia and Electra (mezzo-sopranos), Esperthusa and Alcyone (contraltos)—; a Lady of the Court (contralto); a Page (treble voice); Queen Elizabeth (soprano); and, Mixed Chorus.

Duration

Approximately 80 minutes.

Musical Elements

3 flutes (piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons (contrabassoon), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 tubas, bass tuba, percussion, celesta, 2 harps, 2 pianos, strings and voice.

Edition and Scores

Ricordi