Oedipus Rex ; The rake's progress

the long version

Stravinsky's genius for the stage is here represented by two very different works. "Oedipus Rex" is the fruit of a collaboration with Jean Cocteau, in which the tragedy of Sophocles is pared down to make an opera-oratorio. This guide explores the ways in which this is achieved, and analyses the score. It also surveys the composition period of "The Rake's Progress", examining the contributions of the different collaborators. The Latin text and English translation is included for "Oedipus Rex", and the English libretto for "The Rake's Progress."