Archive for the 'At the Hawk’s Well' Category

At the Hawk’s Well

June 17, 2024

The cast of At the Hawk’s Well. L-R: Phoebe Chee, Alex Jerinic, Marissa Maislen, Nicolas Vasquez-Gerst, Igor Vieira. (Photo: Steve Fisch.)

I completed a first version of this opera back in April 2021. This spring, I revised it for a performance by Bay Area Arts Alliance. It was performed on June 15 and 16, 2024, at the San Francisco Community Music Center, directed by Megan Cullen and with Alex Katsman as music director.

Here’s the full performance from June 16, 2024, on YouTube. The opera is about 50 minutes long, and it’s followed by a discussion with the cast.

  • Old Man (baritone) – Igor Vieira
  • Young Man (tenor) – Nicolas Vasquez-Gerst
  • First Musician (mezzo-soprano) – Alix Jerinic
  • Second Musician (soprano) – Phoebe Chee
  • Guardian of the Well (dancer) – Marissa Maislen

Ensemble:

  • Piano – Alex Katsman
  • Violin – Manny Vousé
  • Viola – Armando Atando
  • Cello – Octavio Mujica
  • Bass – Carlos Valdez
  • Soprano saxophone – Robin Lacey

Full score (PDF). Parts available on request.

Libretto (PDF), lightly adapted from the play by W.B. Yeats.

Program (PDF), including synopsis, commentary, and performer bios.

Interview on the Community Music Center site.

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At the Hawk’s Well

April 20, 2021

Chamber opera in one act, after the play by W. B. Yeats. Four singing roles:

  • First Musician, mezzo-soprano
  • Second Musician, soprano
  • Old Man, baritone
  • Young Man, tenor

There’s also a non-singing part for a dancer, playing the hawk-spirit that guards the well.

Vocal score (PDF). I expect to arrange this for whatever small forces are available.

The only bit that’s been recorded is an aria, “I came like you”, with Caleb Lewis, baritone.

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Three songs

March 17, 2021

Songs for voice and piano, with texts from three different writers, composed over the last two years.

“Virtue” is performed by Morgan Balfour, soprano, with James Maverick, piano. “Piano” and “I came like you” are performed by Caleb Lewis, baritone, with Gabe Merrill-Steskal, piano.

The Yeats is part of a complete setting of the play At the Hawk’s Well as a one-act chamber opera.

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At the Hawk’s Well: Epilogue

April 4, 2019

Epilogue to Yeats’s At the Hawk’s Well, set for soprano, mezzo and piano. The full opera will also include roles for baritone and tenor soloists (and will be arranged for at least somewhat larger forces). April 2019.

Score (PDF).

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At the Hawk’s Well: Prologue

March 23, 2019

Prologue to Yeats’s At the Hawk’s Well, set for soprano, mezzo and piano. The full opera will also include roles for baritone and tenor soloists (and will be arranged for at least somewhat larger forces). March 2019.

Score (PDF).

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The Guardian of the Well

May 16, 2018

Flute and piano, about 7m. May 2018. Originally intended as part of my opera project based on Yeats’s At the Hawk’s Well.

Full score — flute part.

Recording with Annelise Zamula, flute.

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