Benjamin Britten: Death in Venice

Cambridge Opera Handbooks

by Donald Mitchell (Editor)

This book is exceptional amongst those that have appeared so far in this well-established series, in that it is largely written by those who worked with the composer and assisted him during the period in which the opera was composed and first put on the stage. It will thus remain a source of first-hand information on Britten's final operatic achievement. Donald Mitchell was Britten's publisher at the time of Death in Venice and his Introduction includes many personal observations on the genesis of the work. The latter part of the book contains essays by T. J. Reed and Patrick Carnegy on the libretto's source in Thomas Mann's novella and Philip Reed compares briefly Visconti's cinematic interpretation of the novella. The volume is richly illustrated with music examples, sketches and extracts from the autograph score, and pictures from the first production. It will make an essential reference work and indispensable companion for opera-goers, students and scholars alike.

Genres: Music

229 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 1987

About the author

Donald Charles Peter Mitchell, CBE, is a British writer on music, particularly known for his books on Gustav Mahler and Benjamin Britten and for the book The Language of Modern Music, published 1963. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_...]

Reviews

[Dominic H · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the start of this book Donald Mitchell makes much of the fact that the uniqueness of this
Cambridge Opera Handbook s that most of the chapters have been written by key contributors to the creation of Death in Venice. If that sounds mouthwatering then actually the book is a bit of a disappointment.
Mitchell's opening chapter for example is rambling and he seems much keener to put on record his own involvement than to illuminate. Myfanwy Piper's account of writing the libretto with Britten only succeeds in confirming that perhaps, despite Britten's apparent enthusiasm for her work, she lacked an acute ear, a poetic nature and, crucially, a sense of the dramatic. Colin Graham on the first production is rather workmanlike and dull. The book picks up a bit from then on though. Colin Matthews (who prepared the first vocal score) is really interesting both on general musical aspects and the relationship of the opera to the Third String Quartet. T.J. Reed is very good on Mann and music and Philip Reed very fluent and informative on Visconti's film.
A bit of a mixed bag then and actually there is an interesting book still to be written, which probably never will be, involving a more objective appraisal perhaps (the uncritical adulation for Britten throughout does grate) of how the work stands up in 2024. I read this as prelude to seeing the superb new Welsh National Opera production but I have to say the opera itself does strike me as musically rather dated and theatrically a bit flat and inert.