Asterion

Asterion a libretto for radio written by N.P. van Wyk Louw.

The original text

Asterion a Symphonic play for the radio. Published by H & R, Cape Town,1965. It is a wonderful tale about bored and conceited mankind that becomes addicted to a supernatural being who creates miracles, and with every miracle spurs on the destruction of man.

Translations and adaptations

In 1956 the Dutch composer, Henk Badings, was commissioned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to compose and opera on van Wyk Louw's libretto.

Performance history in South Africa

This radio opera was premiered on 11 April 1958, produced by Jan Schutte, SABC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anton Hartman, with Nellie du Toit as Prinses, Gert Potgieter as Asterion, mezzo-soprano Betsy de la Porte as the Old Nurse and speaker-actors such as Esmé Euvrard, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Gideon Roos and Jan Schutte.

Sources

Hilde Roos. 2010. 'Opera Production in the Western Cape: Strategies in Search of Indigenisation'. Unpublished PhD thesis. Stellenbosch University.

Alexandra Xenia Sabina Mossolow. 2003. The career of South African soprano Nellie du Toit, born 1929. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Stellenbosch.

Go to ESAT Bibliography