Testimonies of the Holocaust: A Dark Operatic Drama

Testimonies of The Holocaust is a dark, operatic style, musical drama with form and aspects of a combination of an opera, a Greek tragedy, Judgement at Nuremberg, and a musical drama. It is set in the Auschwitz Death Camp, and contains a text from The Old Testament, and excerpts from the book We Wept Without Tears, by Gideon Grief which contains first-hand accounts of inmates who were actually in Auschwitz. The texts from the Old Testament were chosen because they seem to reflect on situations, similarities, and conditions actually within Auschwitz. As in a Greek Tragedy, the “Chorus” has a prominent part in the work, and acts as a commentary voice in the overall work, and responds to actions on the stage, as well as setting the mood of each scene. These two things are essential to the overall form and flow of the work. The work uses a standard, full symphonic orchestra. The Narrator (Tenor voice) acts as both a narrator and has solo tenor singing parts within the work. The entire work takes place within or near the Camp Courtyard, therefore scenery changes are minimal. I had much internal debate within myself as to whether or not I would consider nudity or partial nudity within this work. Nudity was part of the Auschwitz experience for most inmates. I decided to allow the overall Director of any production of this work to decide how much, if any, nudity would be used within the work. The construction of this work took, off and on, about 8 to 10 years, and was, at times, very emotionally draining and difficult to deal with because of the only hope that any performance of the work will bring catharsis, reflection, and understanding of the Holocaust, and its effects on those who were part of it, and those who endured the unendurable. ---H. Gunter.

Format: Dark Operatic Drama

Cast Size:16M, 15W

Character breakdown:

Narrator —– Tenor

Mysterious God/ prisoner—– Bass Female

Victim —–Soprano Jewish Mother—–Soprano

Jewish Youth (Daughter) 9 to 13 year old—–Soprano

(3) Sonderkommando Prisoners

(3) S.S. Guards

(10) Jewish Boy Prisoners [ages 12 to 18]

(3) Senior S.S. Officers [1 female]

(10) Jewish Female Prisoners

Chorus

Original Source Material: Text from the Old Testament and The book, We Wept Without Tears, by Gideon Grief

Original Language: Hebrew

Experience(s) Chronicled: Germany, Hitler and the Growth of Nazism | Concentration and Extermination Camps | Perpetrators, Bystanders and Collaborators | Survivors and Subsequent Generations | Women and the Holocaust