her brother to murder, the community heads to her house to drive her out of the valley. However, Little Bat has warned her in advance, and when the vigilantes arrive she is waiting with a shotgun. They retreat, but she has effectively severed her ties with the community and her world. Main roles and world-premiere cast Susannah Polk – soprano (Phyllis Curtin) Sam Polk – tenor (Walter James) Olin Blitch – bass-baritone (Mack Harrell) Little Bat McLean – tenor (Eb Thomas) Elder McLean – baritone (Harrison Fisher) Elder Gleaton – tenor (Kenneth Nelson) Elder Hayes – tenor (Dayton Smith) Elder Ott – baritone (Lee Liming) Mrs. McLean – mezzo-soprano (Martha Kay Willis) Mrs. Gleaton – soprano (Catherine Murphy) Mrs. Hayes – soprano (Joan Nichy) Mrs. Ott – contralto (Bette Jo Armstrong) Production history The German premiere was in 1959 at the Theater Oberhausen. In 1965 and 1966, the Metropolitan Opera National Company performed the opera in 72 cities throughout North America during a nine month tour. This production was directed by José Quintero, used sets designed by Beni Montresor, and starred Maralin Niska in the title role. Rossini's The Kammeroper in Vienna produced the opera in 1996 with Canadian Desmond Byrne as Blitch. Deutsche Oper Berlin premiered their production in 1997 with Dean Petersen in that role. The opera's UK premiere was as a community project directed by John La Bouchardiere at mac (Birmingham) in 1996. In November 2001 AAC presents Opera for All put on four performances of Susannah at the Sir Richard Eyre Theatre in Willesden, London NW10. The first fully professional production in the UK was by English Touring Opera in 2008. The opera had its New York Metropolitan Opera premiere in 1999 with Renée Fleming in the title role, and Samuel Ramey. The Theater Hagen mounted a production in the spring of 2012. In 2010, with a cast including Latonia Moore as Susannah and James Morris as Blitch, the Opera of Bilbao, Spain produced Susannah conducted by John Mauceri with the Robert Falls production premiered in Chicago but also produced at the Metropolitan Opera New York. Discography Studer, Hadley, Ramey; Nagano, 1993–94 (Virgin Classics) – Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording of 1995 Niska, Treigle, Bittner, Leuders, Theyard, Hall, Yule, Lankston, Fitch, 1971 [live] (Private Recording) Curtin, Cassilly, Treigle; Andersson, 1962 [live] (VAI) Videography Treigle; Yestadt, Treigle, 1958 [live] (Bel Canto Society) [Revival Scene] Hellman Spatafora,