The Family Man

one-act, one-character opera by Leonard Lehrman
after short story of the same name by Mikhail Sholokhov (1905-1984)

previewed by Ronald Edwards at TOMI and Stern College, Jan. 8 & 11, 1984

concert premiere (in German) by George Shirley (featured in photos)-->
at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin Jan. 6, 1985
co-sponsored by Amerikahaus, Berlin

staged with Ronald Edwards by Lou Rodgers
for Golden Fleece Ltd., Manhattan, June 27-30, 1985

video of staged performance shown complete at
Union of Composers during Moscow Youth Festival, July, 1985

performed again by Ronald Edwards in concert
at Kleine Szene, Sächsische Staatsoper, Dresden
in new German translation by Peter Zacher, July 2, 1996
and at NYU (in English) Sept. 27, 1999.

In 1985 Backstage dubbed the work "a masterpiece."

In reviews of the NYU performance, Jeff Dick called the work
"powerful, graphic, and effective in its portrayal of the horrors of war,"
while Lucas Marquardt wrote:
"Lehrman's piano accompaniment was like an orchestra of sounds.
There were bangs, and zings, and 'banshees;' dynamically critical
to the piece as a whole."

Said accompaniment is also performable by 12 players.
Photos from Berlin, 1985--
dir.: Joaquin LaHabana, cond.: Leonard Lehrman.

Watch a performance by Ronald Edwards,
accompanied at the piano by the composer,
staged by Lou Rodgers for Golden Fleece, Ltd., June 1985
complete, or in segments:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4