Only Antigone gets billed in the title of this cantata by James Kallembach for female chorus (Lorelei is an eight-voice group, ideal for reasons explored below), cello quartet, and soloists. The work does tell Antigone 's story, from Sophocles and from Greek mythology, in three parts, titled "Two Sisters" (Antigone and Ismene), "The Arrest of Antigone," and "The Death of Antigone," plus a choral Latin prologue. However, each of the three parts carries an epilogue from the writings of German student Sophie Scholl, who was ...
Read More
Only Antigone gets billed in the title of this cantata by James Kallembach for female chorus (Lorelei is an eight-voice group, ideal for reasons explored below), cello quartet, and soloists. The work does tell Antigone 's story, from Sophocles and from Greek mythology, in three parts, titled "Two Sisters" (Antigone and Ismene), "The Arrest of Antigone," and "The Death of Antigone," plus a choral Latin prologue. However, each of the three parts carries an epilogue from the writings of German student Sophie Scholl, who was guillotined with her brother in 1943 for anti-Nazi activities. Kallembach writes that Scholl's writings "seemed to meld directly into the words of Antigone," and indeed, he has compiled an exceptionally effective libretto. The topic of Scholl was arrived at jointly by Kallembach and Lorelei conductor Beth Willer, but the Antigone scenes were added by Kallembach himself, and he delivers on what he promises in juxtaposing these two diverse figures who questioned...
Read Less
