their mother. David Finally, David, Geraldine's husband, expresses how unhappy he is with his life, stating that his epitaph will read, "Worked for Mister Pritchett ev'ry day and ev'ry night played bridge with Sally and Bill." He then fantasizes about what he would do if he were as rich or richer than his boss, whom he loathes and envies. He imagines his life in Palm Beach as "the King of Diamonds," with twenty naked girls and boys "attending to [his] pleasures." His fantasies further the idea of sexual experimentation with a reference to "ev'ry known perversion" in a book by Havelock Ellis, which he keeps hidden from his wife behind their copy of Who's Who. In the end he concedes that he could not have that, even if he were rich, and would still play bridge every night with Sally and Bill. David's arietta is set to a pentatonic melody on the pitches G-A-B-D-E over E and B pedal tones, creating a strong pull towards E minor. The countermelody adds to the sense of exoticism by creating a semi-tone motion with the pitches B and C. Smith concludes that the composition alludes to David's forbidden and suppressed sexual nature. Premieres The first performance took place at Menotti's Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto on 17 June 1959 at the Teatro Caio Melisso, with Robert Feist conducting. The U.S. premiere occurred the next year on 6 April 1960 in New York at the Mannes College of Music's Fashion Institute of Technology Auditorium, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Mannes College of Music with Carl Bamberger conducting. Recordings Neway, W. Lewis, Maero; Goldschmann, 1960 Aks, Kittleson, Carney, Muenz; G.Smith, 1991 References Notes Sources Description from Schirmer's catalogue Operas by Samuel Barber English-language operas Operas One-act operas Chamber operas 1959 operas Contract bridge opera Contract bridge