School of Music

Roman Fever - 2004
by Robert Ward

As is often the case in the creation of a modern opera, an important intitial idea must be nurtured by several talented people for the project to come to fruition. Such is the case with Roman Fever. Composer Robert Ward (b. 1917) came across the short story, written by the 1921 Pulitzer Prize winner, Edith Wharton, and suggested to Rovert Brunyate that they collaborate on a one-act opera by the same name. Ward, Winner of the 1962 Pulitzer in Music for his opera The Crucible, went to work fashioning melodic and harmonic ideas from the intent of the libretto as written by Brunyate. premiered in 1993, the opera was faithful the Edith' Wharton's story. Both libretto and music captured the nuances in the author's original discourse about women in the New York City social structure in the 1920s, the events in Rome, and the gradual and powerful revelations of its characters.

Eric Carter

The story of Roman Fever takes place in Rome in 1924. On separate vacations, two American women, Alida Slade and Grace Ansley, accidentally meet again in Rome. The women had originally met in Rome when they were in their twenties, then lived their married lives near each other as well-to-do neighbors in New York City. Gradualy they had lost touch with each other. Now in their forties, they have returned to Rome both recently widowed and with their young daughters (each about twenty years old) to re-experience this city of enchantment. Slowly, it is revealed that Grace had an affair with Alida's fiancé, Delphin. In the emotional outpouring that transpires, Alida expresses her long-held distaste for Grace because of that incident. other secrets cannot then be kept any longer... And as it pertains to the title, Roman fever refers to the malaria that in ancient days used to be a part of the marshy areas surrounding Rome which was then brought into the city by the Tiber River killing many. In its more whimsical use, it also regers to the emotional changes, including jealousy, that overcome those who visit the enchanting city of Rome.

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