Klutaimnestra
Klutaimnestra is a full length, Afrikaans opera by Cromwell Everson (1925–1991)
Contents
The original text
Said to be the first Afrikaans opera.
The opera conveys Afrikaner sentiments of oppression by the British. It has has three central themes or characteristics: first, it portrays women and children in concentration camps; second, the oppression of a powerful nation; and third, the oppressed nation’s rise to power. Written in Afrikaans to “uplift” Afrikaans to a language equal to that of Western European languages used in opera.
The whole work is based on a twelve-tone motive and makes use of a contrapuntal spreekkoor ("speaking choir").
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1967/1968: First performed in Worcester.
Sources
Wayne Muller. 2018. A reception history of opera in Cape Town: Tracing the development of a distinctly South African operatic aesthetic (1985–2015). Unpublished PhD thesis.
"Everson, Cromwell". University of Pretoria. https://www.up.ac.za/sacomposers/article/2755748/everson-cromwell-
"Cromwell Everson". https://profilpelajar.com/article/Cromwell_Everson
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
