Hans Werner Henze - Libretto of "die Bassariden"

from a quick online search, it doesn't seem to be available on the web. So you will have to use traditional channels. The fastest way, but probably the most expensive, is to buy the CD in a decent box set. Who knows, you might find a good deal on eBay or Amazon. Otherwise, search in a library or via online OPACs. The options to look for, in my opinion, are these: 1) see if you can find the actual published libretto. You should find it by searching for the title alone, and remember that both the German version (die Bassariden) and the English version (the Bassarids) exist; 2) see if you can find a collection, a volume with all the libretti set to music by Henze or written by Auden. Although that seems difficult to me... 3) look for the score, which is perhaps almost easier, but if you only need the libretto it's a bit inconvenient... For everything else, another step could be to find out who publishes Henze, with which publishing house. This way you would immediately have much more information.

EDIT:

i searched myself and in no time I found something: Henze is published by Schott, and on the Schott website you can find both the score and the libretto of the Bassarids, at a price that seems more than acceptable to me. This is the link for the search for the libretto http://www.schott-music.com/shop/1/show,16797.html but you can do all the searches you want, perhaps there are also different formats for the libretto. Obviously they ship from abroad so there are shipping costs, but finding a libretto for 7 euros is rare even in shops... so it seems like an excellent compromise to me

First solution

http://www.amazon.fr...8&condition=new

http://www.amazon.de...&sr=1-2-catcorr

Second solution

If I am not mistaken, the recording of the first performance of the opera (conducted by Christoph von Donahny) included the libretto... perhaps it will be enough for you to recover the Orfeo recording

Another hypothesis

http://www.schott-music.com/shop/resources/643376.pdf

The Bassarids – Die Bassariden

Musikdrama in one act by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman (e., d.)

(1964/65, rev. 1992)

Characters: Autonoe · high Soprano – Agaue, daughter and mother of Cadmus

Pentheus ·

Mezzo-soprano – Beroe, an old slave · Alto – Dionysus · Tenor –

Tiresias, an old

blind seer · Tenor – Pentheus, King of Thebes · Baritone –

Captain of the Guard ·

Baritone – Cadmus · Bass – Bassarids, citizens · Chorus – Young woman,

child, guards,

servants · silent roles

Revised version (1992)

Orchestra: 4 (2nd with B-foot, 3rd also Picc., 4th also Alto Fl. and Picc.) ·

2 · 2 Eng. Horns · 4 (3rd, 4th

also Alto Sax., 4th also Eb Clarinet) · Bass Clarinet (also Alto Sax. and

Tenor Sax.) · 4 (4th also Contrabassoon) –

6 · 4 (4th also Bass Trumpet) · 3 · 2 – Percussion Section (3 Cowbells · small Timpani · high

Cymbals · pair of Cymbals · 3 Tam-tams ·

small Triangle · Mil. Triangle [with and without rattle] · 3 Tom-toms · 3 Bongos · Wood Block

· large Triangle [with or without

cymbals] · Marimba · Whip · Ratchet · Metal Percussion · Glockenspiel · Xylophone · Vibraphone

· Marimba · Finger Cymbals ·

Tubular Bells) (8 players) – 2 Horns · 2 Pianos · Celesta – Strings

On stage: 4 Horns (also replaceable by Trumpets in the orchestra) · 2 Guitars

· 2 Mandolins · 3

cowbells

Revised and reduced version (1992)

Orchestra: 4 (2nd with B-foot, 3rd also Picc., 4th also Alto Fl. and Picc.) ·

2 · 2 Eng. Horns ·

4 (3rd also Alto Sax., 4th also Alto Sax., Tenor Sax. and Bass Clarinet) · 4 (4th

also Contrabassoon) – 4 · 4 ·

Bass Trumpet · 3 · 1 – Percussion Section (3 Cowbells · small Timpani · Tubular Bells · high Cymbals

· Cymbals · 3 Tam-tams · 3 Tom-toms ·

Tambourine · Mil. Triangle [with and without rattle] · 3 Bongos · Wood Block · large Triangle

[with or without cymbals] ·

Marimba · Whip · Metal Percussion · Xylophone · Vibraphone · Mar.) (8 players) – Timpani.

Piano (also at 4 hands ad

lib.) · Celesta · Mandolin – Strings

Behind the stage: 4 Trumpets (also replaceable by Trumpets in the orchestra) –

Guitar · 2 Mandolins –

3 Cowbells (ad lib.)

Prolog (ad lib.): Dionysus · Tenor – Percussion Section (Wood · large Triangle · Vibraphone ·

Marimba) – Timpani · Piano –

Tape recording

120’

Study score ED 9411 · Piano reduction (e., d.) ED 8121 · Libretto

(d.) BN 3348-00 ·

Libretto (e.) BN 3349-90

World premiere: August 6, 1966 Salzburg Festival · Conductor:

Christoph von Dohnányi ·

Staging: Gustav Rudolf Sellner · Set and Costumes: Filippo

Sanjust

As usual, anyway, a little bit of googling and goodwill solved the problem... it's a pleasure to help solve problems, but you could have also figured out on your own to write "die bassariden" on amazon...

Thanks to everyone!

thallo wrote:

As usual, however, a little bit of asking Google and good will solved the problem... it's a pleasure to help solve problems, but you could have also figured out on your own to write "die bassariden" on Amazon...

...one must know that Amazon exists; frankly, one lives well even without it. Now I know it exists and next time I won't disturb you.

Even if I would have missed the tip regarding the first one