Lilith (opera)

2001 opera by Deborah Drattell

Lilith is the first opera by American composer Deborah Drattell, with a libretto by David Steven Cohen. It was premiered in 2001 at the New York City Opera and was directed by Anne Bogart.[1]

## Synopsis

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The opera imagines Eve returning to Eden following the funeral of Adam.[2] In the ruined paradise, she confronts Lilith, who in Jewish mythology and legends such as the medieval Alphabet of Sirach mated with Adam before Eve was created. Eve reveals the identity of Lilith. However, the opera ends with the women coming to an understanding of their roles and fates.

## History

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Work on the opera began in 1986 when Drattell composed an 11-minute symphonic poem for the Denver Symphony when she was the organization’s artist-in-residence on the subject of Lilith. It was premiered with the New York Philharmonic in 1990.[3]

The piece was expanded to a full-length opera, with a libretto by David Steven Cohen, due to Drattell's fascination with the theme.[4] Its world première was initially planned for 1997 at New York’s Dicapo Opera, but production was cancelled due to a labor dispute. Drattell reworked the piece, presenting it as a workshop offering at the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, New York in 1998 as a concertized version. The full opera had its world première on November 11, 2001, at the New York City Opera with Lauren Flanigan as Eve.[3]

## Cast

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The opera featured a 16-member, all-male chorus with a main cast of Seer, Lilith, Eve, and Eve's son and daughter, along with nine mimes, five male and four female.[1][4]

Role  | Voice Type  | 2001 Premiere Cast

|
|

Lilith  | Mezzo-soprano  | Beth Clayton
Seer/Serpent  |  | Tom Nelis
Eve  | Soprano  | Lauren Flanigan
Eve's son  |  | Marcus DeLoach
Eve's daughter  | Soprano  | Dana Beth Miller
Mimes  |  |
Chorus  |  |

## Further links

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* UC San Diego full broadcast

## References

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1. ^ a b "Adam's First Wife Conquers a New Stage". artists-in-residence.com. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
2. ^ "New opera has Lilith as its protagonist - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
3. ^ a b Anne Midgette, " 'Lilith' Is Made Flesh", New York Times (November 9, 2001)
4. ^ a b Filipski, Kevin (2001-11-12). "IN THE BEGINNING • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com. Retrieved 2023-06-20.

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Adam and Eve

Source|

* Genesis creation narrative in the Book of Genesis
* Adam
* Eve

Offspring|

* Cain and Abel
* Cain
* Abel
* Aclima
* Luluwa
* Seth
* Awan
* Azura
* Jumella

Related theology|

* Fall of man
* Original sin
* Garden of Eden
* Tree of the knowledge of good and evil
* Serpents in the Bible
* Forbidden fruit
* Apple
* Fig leaf
* Figs in the Bible
* Adam's ale
* Adamic language
* Camael
* Protevangelium
* Rosh Hashanah
* Seed of the woman
* Shamsiel
* Lilith
* Tree of life
* Allegorical interpretations of Genesis

Other cultures|

* Adam–God doctrine
* Adam and Eve in Mormonism
* Adam in Islam
* Adam in rabbinic literature
* Al-A'raf
* Book of Moses
* Endowment
* Manu (Hinduism)
* Mashya and Mashyana
* Serpent seed
* Tree of Jiva and Atman
* Tree of life (Quran)
* Our Lady of Endor Coven

Film|

* Mama's Affair (1921)
* Good Morning, Eve! (1934)
* The Broken Jug (1937)
* The Original Sin (1948)
* The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960)
* El pecado de Adán y Eva (1969)
* La Biblia en pasta (1984)
* The Annunciation (1984)
* Second Time Lucky (1984)
* Adipapam (1988)
* Adam (1992)
* The Last Eve (2005)
* Year One (2009)
* The Tragedy of Man (2011)
* Adam and Dog (2011)
* Tropico (2013)

Plays|

* Le Jeu d'Adam (12th century)
* The Broken Jug (1808)
* The Tragedy of Man (1861)
* The Creation of the World and Other Business (1972)

Musicals|

* The Apple Tree (1966)
* Dude (1972)
* Up from Paradise (1973)
* Children of Eden (1991)

Compositions|

* The Creation (1798)
* structure
* La mort d'Adam (1809)
* Ève (1875)
* Genesis Suite (1945)
* Lilith (2001)

Literature|

* Apocalypse of Adam
* Book of Moses
* Book of Abraham
* Books of Adam
* Book of the Penitence of Adam
* Cave of Treasures
* "El amigo de Él y Ella"
* Genesis A and Genesis B
* Harrowing of Hell
* Life of Adam and Eve
* Testament of Adam
* Testimony of Truth (3rd century)
* Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan (6th century)
* "Old Saxon Genesis" (9th century)
* "Adam lay ybounden" (15th century)
* Paradise Lost (1667)
* Le Dernier Homme (1805)
* Extracts from Adam's Diary (1904)
* Eve's Diary (1905)
* The Book of Genesis (2009)
* The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (2017)

Art|

* Bernward Doors (1015)
* Tapestry of Creation (11th century)
* Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (1425)
* Vienna Diptych (15th century)
* The Last Judgment (1482)
* The Garden of Earthly Delights (1504)
* Adam and Eve (1507)
* The Creation of Adam (1512)
* The Haywain Triptych (1516)
* Eve, the Serpent and Death (1510s or 1520s)
* Adam and Eve (1528)
* Adam and Eve (1550)
* The Fall of Man (1550)
* Adam and Eve (c. 1550)
* The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man (1617)
* The Fall of Man (1628)
* Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (c. 1650)
* The Four Seasons (1660s)
* The Koren Picture-Bible (1692–1696)
* Paradise Lost (19th century)
* Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (1828)
* The First Mourning (1888)
* Adam and Eve (1905)
* Adam and Eve (1909)
* Eve (1911)
* Eve (1931)
* Adam and Eve (1932)
* The Serpent Chooses Adam and Eve (1958)
* Genesis (1960)

Songs|

* "Dese Bones G'wine Rise Again"
* "Adam-ondi-Ahman" (1835)
* "Forbidden Fruit" (1915)
* "The Garden of Eden" (1956)
* "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (1968)
* "Let's Give Adam and Eve Another Chance" (1970)
* "Man Gave Names to All the Animals" (1979)

Albums|

* The Cainian Chronicle (1996)
* Visions of Eden (2006)
* Snakes for the Divine (2010)

Geography|

* Adam-ondi-Ahman
* Tomb of Eve

Biology|

* Mitochondrial Eve
* Y-chromosomal Adam
* The Real Eve

Story within a story|

* Doraemon: Nobita's Diary on the Creation of the World
* Island of Love
* The Visitors

Television|

* "Adam & Eve" (1992)
* "Probe 7, Over and Out" (1963)
* "Simpsons Bible Stories"
* "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela"
* "Daesong Heavy Industries II: Return to Innocence"
* "Holly Bibble"

Games|

* Demon: The Fallen (2002)

Other|

* Pre-Adamite
* Generations of Adam
* Cave of the Patriarchs
* Adam and Eve cylinder seal
* Genealogies of Genesis
* Carnal knowledge
* Legend of the Rood
* Ystorya Adaf
* Ransom theory of atonement

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