Frederick Shepherd Converse Born: 5 Jan. 1871, Newton, Mass. Died: 8 June 1940, Westwood, NJ

(U.S. Opera Home Page)

• The Pipe of Desire, opera in 1 act. (31 Jan. 1906, Boston)
• The Sacrifice (3 Mar. 1911, Boston)
• Beauty and the Beast, or, Sinbad the Sailor, His Adventures with Beauty and the Peacock Lady in the Castle of the Forty Thieves libretto P. MacKaye. [comp. 1913, unperformed]
• The Immigrants, libretto P. MacKaye [comp. 1914, unperformed. Prepared for cancelled Boston Opera Company 1914-15 season.]

A student of George Chadwick and John Knowles Paine, Converse is best known for his orchestral works, including the groundbreaking Flivver Ten Million, Converse also had the distinction of being the first American composer to have one of his works played at the Metropolitan Opera: The Pipe of Desire, which played for three performances in 1910. He was one of the founders of the short-lived Boston Opera Company and an influential member of Boston musical society.

View/download libretto

The Pipe of Desire: complete libretto

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From The Pipe of Desire:

Part 1 (overture and opening chorus)

Finale Viewer  |  PDF  |  PostScript  |  MIDI

Chonita's Prayer from The Sacrifice, on Souvenirs from American Operas. Various artists, 1998. Compact disc: IRCC 818.

Robert J. Garofalo. Frederick Shepherd Converse (1871-1940): his life and music. Composers of North America, No. 14. Hardcover: Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, NJ, 1994