Ellen West

Composed for Soprano and Baritone with an instrumental sextet, Ellen West brings the audience into the lives of psychiatrist Ludwig Binswanger and his patient, Ellen West, who throughout her life filled journals and wrote poetry. Frank Bidart’s text juxtaposes the clinical observations of Binswanger with fictitious entries of Ellen’s writing which shine light on her deeply personal struggles. This one act tour-de-force delves into the emotional, psychological, and physical challenges of a woman struggling with perceptions of her body, her troubling relationship with food, and the world closing in around her.

Commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects: Beth Morrison, President and Creative Producer; Opera Saratoga: Lawrence Edelson, Artistic and General Director; The Ted & Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and David and Kiki Gindler. The development of Ellen West was funded, in part, by an award from OPERA America’s Opera Fund: Repertoire Development Fund