Die Jakobsleiter 1980
The profoundly moving statement…
…of belief about life and death.
Synopsis
Die Jakobsleiter (Jacob's Ladder)
A multitude of souls is suspended between death and reincarnation. The archangel Gabriel appears and urges the souls upward towards union with God. The souls comment upon the burdens and blessings of existence and upon the apparent senselessness of the course of every single life. After the desperate question “Must it go on like this forever?”, the souls sink back into indifference and gentle resignation.
Now Gabriel calls upon those who believe they have come nearer to God through their deeds. One of the Called, the self-satisfied creative artist, boasts that no suffering ever came near him since he saw only his own ideals, which filled his life with joy. A Rebellious Soul doubts whether it can be the same God who leads us one way through our instincts and another way through His Commandments. A Struggling Soul is fearful of the Commandments and wrestles with the problem of how to separate right from wrong without the guidance of The Word. Gabriel gives counsel to each.
To guide the souls, Gabriel calls upon one much closer to God and who “resembles Him”: The Chosen One, he who is a genius. He can only leave mankind his words, or works, fearful that they may be misunderstood. Gabriel urges the souls to ponder these words; eventually they will understand them. A Monk fears his sacrifices were not sufficient, because he avoided temptation. Gabriel reassures him and sends him further on his way to God as prophet and martyr.
A Dying Person realizes that he has suffered through thousands of lives and deaths. As he dies, Gabriel guides his soul upward to prepare it for its next reincarnation.
Artists
William Dooley
Bass-baritone
Gabriel
William Dooley
Hometown: Modesto, CA
SFO Debut:
Scarpia, Tosca, 1969
Past Seasons:
The Notary, Intermezzo, 1994
Tiresias, Oedipus, 1991
Simone Trovai, Violanta, 1984
The Notary, Intermezzo, 1984
Baron d’Houdoux, News of the Day, 1981
Peneios, Daphne, 1981
Gabriel, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Orest, Elektra, 1980
Dr. Ludwig Schon/Jack, Lulu, 1979
Jokanaan, Salome, 1978
Cardinal, The Duchess of Malfi, 1978
Jokanaan, Salome, 1976
Forester, The Cunning Little Vixen, 1975
Don Afonso, Così fan tutte, 1975
Orator, The Magic Flute, 1974
Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman, 1973
Jokanaan, Salome, 1972
Jokanaan, Salome, 1969
Michael Cousins
Tenor
One of the Called
Michael Cousins
Hometown: Burr Ridge, IL
SFO Debut:
Edgardo, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Past Seasons:
Alfredo, La traviata, 1980
One of the Called, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Raymond Gibbs
Tenor
A Rebellious Soul
Raymond Gibbs
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
SFO Debut:
Tamino, The Magic Flute, 1974
Past Seasons:
Tamino, The Magic Flute, 1980
A Rebellious Soul, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Pelléas, Pelléas et Mélisande, 1977
Andrew Foldi
Bass-baritone
A Struggling Soul
Andrew Foldi
Hometown: Budapest, Hungary
SFO Debut:
Doctor Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 1957
Past Seasons:
Speaker, The Magic Flute, 1980
A Struggling Soul, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Schigolch, Lulu, 1979
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
Baron Ochs, Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Baron Ochs, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Baron Ochs, Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
Benoit, La bohème, 1961
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
Baron d’Houdoux, News of the Day, 1961
Don Magnifico, Cinderella, 1960
Master Spinelleccio, Gianni Schicci, 1960
Tiresias, Oedipus Rex, 1960
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Henry VIII, Anna Bolena, 1959
Osmin, Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Doctor Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 1959
Benoit/Alcindoro, La bohème, 1958
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 1958
Pistol, Falstaff, 1958
Don Magnifico, Cinderella, 1958
Uberto, La serva padrona, 1957
Truffaldin. Ariadne auf Naxos, 1957
William Parker
Baritone
The Chosen One
William Parker
Hometown: Butler, PA
SFO Debut:
Schaunard, La bohème, 1974
Past Seasons:
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 1980
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, 1975 (July 12 – 30)
Manuel, La vida breve, 1975
Le Fauteuil/Le Chat, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
Harašta, The Cunning Little Vixen, 1975
Robert Grayson
Tenor
The Monk
Robert Grayson
Hometown: Gardena, CA
SFO Debut:
Monsieur Triquet, Eugene Onegin, 1980
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1976
Past Seasons:
The Monk, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Gastone, La traviata, 1976
First Jew, Salome, 1976
Janet Northway
Soprano
The Dying One and The Soul
Janet Northway
Hometown: Colorado
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1980, 1981
Past Seasons:
Second Maiden, Daphne, 1981
The Dying One and The Soul, Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Papagena, The Magic Flute, 1980
Robert Baustian
Conductor
Robert Baustian
Hometown: Storm Lake, IA
SFO Debut:
The Barber of Seville, 1957
Past Seasons:
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Pelléas et Mélisande, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
The Cunning Little Vixen, 1975
Così fan tutte, 1975 (July 30)
La vida breve, 1975
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
The Magic Flute, 1974
Le Rossignol, 1973
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
Pelléas et Mélisande, 1972
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1969
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Perséphone, 1968
The Elixir of Love, 1968
The Magic Flute, 1968
The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
The Barber of Seville, 1967
Dialogues of the Carmelites, 1966
Don Giovanni, 1966
Cinderella, 1966
The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
The Stag King, 1965
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Don Giovanni, 1963
Mavra, 1962
Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
La traviata, 1962
Così fan tutte, 1962
The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Cinderella, 1960
The Barber of Seville, 1959
Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Cinderella, 1958
Falstaff, 1958
Così fan tutte, 1958
The Tower, 1957
Bodo Igesz
Director
Bodo Igesz
Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands
SFO Debut:
Cardillac, 1967
Past Seasons:
La traviata, 1980
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
The Flying Dutchman, 1973
Don Giovanni, 1972
Melusine, 1972
The Flying Dutchman, 1971
The Bassarids, 1968
Perséphone, 1968
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Neil Peter Jampolis
Designer
Scenic & Lighting Designer
Neil Peter Jampolis
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
SFO Debut:
Cardillac, 1967 (Scenic Designer)
Past Seasons:
L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1986 (Lighting Designer)
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
The Flying Dutchman, 1973 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Don Giovanni, 1972 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Madame Butterfly, 1972 (Scenic Designer)
Melusine, 1972 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
The Flying Dutchman, 1971 (Scenic Designer)
Tosca, 1969 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
The Elixir of Love, 1968 (Scenic Designer)
Perséphone, 1968 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Carmen, 1967 (Scenic Designer)
Hal George
Costume Designer
Hal George
SFO Debut:
The Bassarids, 1968
Past Seasons:
La bohème, 1981
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Perséphone, 1968 (Costume and Lighting Designer)
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968 (Costume and Lighting Designer)
Die Jakobsleiter 1980
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