Style
The opera is written in a free tonal style, with clear influences from the operas of Alban Berg and from minimalism. The musical style is narrative rather than lyric, with nothing that could reasonably be described as an aria and only a few trios and quartets. There is however a beautiful and moving duet for the heroine and her double.
Much of the rather haunting atmosphere is built from the repetitive, chanting, choruses of the handmaids.
Read more about this topic: The Handmaid's Tale (opera)
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