The old maid and the thief pdf

Description:

The work uses an English language libretto by the composer which tells a twisted tale of morals and evil womanly power. Menotti writes in the libretto "The devil couldn't do what a woman can- Make a thief out of an honest man. Menotti wrote the libretto to The Old Maid and the Thief himself; initially in Italian but with the intention of having the work translated into English for its premiere. He was inspired to write the story of the opera after visiting the family of his partner Samuel Barber. He found that what seemed to be a quaint, cute town actually covered up a plethora of secrets about people and places. Upon the opera's premiere in , the work was received with wide enthusiasm by American music critics. The success of the opera helped further establish Menotti's career in the United States.