Marc Blitzstein

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Composer, librettist and man about theater, Marc Blitzstein talks with Living Opera host, Alan Wagner.

Blitzstein describes the problems facing the librettist as opposed to a lyric writer. Talks specifically about Regina. Working with Lillian Hellman regarding The Little Foxes. In Regina the functions of the librettist and lyricist overlap. The object is to make it so that the listener never quite remembers what is spoken and what is sung. Talks about his opera Cradle Will Rock and says the music is always under control. Blitzstein tells story behind Cradle Will Rock and the WPA production. He describes Orson Wells as solving all sorts of crazy problems like the ones involving the unions and the move to the Venice Theater. "I was alone on stage" and the actors performing from their seats with the audience. Later it was done by Bernstein with the New York City Symphony. Next work will be full scale opera and not for Broadway. It will be about the Sacco and Vanzetti case. Describes it as big scale.

WNYC archives id: 90939