Jake Heggie ◆ Te Radio Hour

Home , Gene Scheer, Jake Heggie, John Alexander (tenor)

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THE RADIO HOUR (2014) * [38:43] Gene Sheer, librettist 1. Part One: A Really Bad Day [15:38] 2. Part Two: Trough the Door [19:14] 3. Part Tree: A New Day [3:48] John Alexander Singers • Members of Pacifc Symphony • David Clemensen Soloists: Ricardo V. McKillips, Jr. • Denean Dyson

4. Patterns (1999) * [14:25] Susan Graham • Women of the John Alexander Singers • David Clemensen

5. I Shall Not Live in Vain (1995, rev. 1998) * [4:20] Susan Graham • Women of the John Alexander Singers • David Clemensen • Handbell Choir

6. He Will Gather Us Around (solo version, 2000) † [0:50] Susan Graham

7. He Will Gather Us Around (choral version, 2003) * [6:19] John Alexander Singers

John Alexander, conductor

* World Premiere Recording † from Dead Man Walking

Total Time:2 65:05 THE RADIO HOUR as well as Out of Darkness, a Holocaust remembrance opera in three parts (“An- We’ve all experienced “one of those days.” other Sunrise” – “Farewell, Auschwitz” When everything in the world seems to – “For a Look or a Touch”). One of our be set against you, ready to mock and guidelines for taking on a new project is make life more difcult. that it has to terrify us a little bit. We ac- tively seek out challenging projects, but, If only a magic door would open and truthfully, when John Alexander asked transport you to a diferent place. Afer us to create a choral opera, our frst re- all, Alice fell into Wonderland, Dorothy sponse was: barreled to Oz, and Wendy few with Peter Pan to Neverland. But what about A what? Nora? A lonely, hard-working, mid- dle-aged woman no longer in the play- John had a feeling that there was new ter- ground of childhood fantasy. Is there still ritory to be explored in the choral reper- a magic door for her? toire, and that it had to do with the mixing of genres. But, operas require action, Welcome to Te Radio Hour, where characters, conficts, journeys, transfor- sound tracks and sound waves are going mation, movement. Choirs stand still on inside, around and through us all the and make beautiful sound. Right? Still, time: it’s up to us to decide what to tune loving a challenge, Gene and I said: “Yes! into and what to turn of. But frst, along Of course. A choral opera!” with Nora, we have to discover that the connection begins within. What seemed like a challenge turned out to be a mind-bending, extraordinarily By now, Gene Scheer and I have created difcult climb. What does a choral op- two full-length operas (Moby-Dick, Tree era look and sound like? We thought of Decembers), a one-act opera (To Hell and existing stories, but soon realized that Back), numerous song cycles (Camille we’d need an original story. Te biggest Claudel, Rise and Fall, Pieces of 9/11, etc), question was what all those choristers

3 were going to DO on stage? We needed Tis concept also allowed us to explore a a goal, a motivation that would bring it wonderful variety of textures, colors and all together. sounds: trafc noise, swing tunes, radio ads, a quasi-rap song, big band, a touch of Choirs are about community, participa- 12-tone music, and fnally a full, celebra- tion; a collective of human voices work- tory fowering of grand choral singing. ing together to express emotions. We It was an immensely challenging world decided we wanted to fnd a way to cele- to enter, and all of us experienced many brate the transformative power of singing “Nora days” along the way. But always, in our lives. But we needed a unifying the magic of the choir, of connection, of focus for our journey, and we needed an community through singing, took us to actor. the hopeful place on the other side of a door marked “possibility.” Tat’s when Gene found our central char- acter, Nora, to be played by a silent actress. Te choir would be her inner voice as well Te Radio Hour as the sounds she “channels.” With the choir Opera in One Act for Chamber Choir, split in two at the beginning, we could hear Silent Actress, and Instruments Nora’s inner voice as well as the sounds she Libretto by Gene Scheer (b. 1958) chooses to hear. Recalling Ravel’s magical L’enfant et les sortilèges , the choir could Te choir is split into two groups: become objects in Nora’s apartment, too. And the transformative journey would be NORA – the internal voice for Nora, who actually to enter the sound waves, to open is played by a silent actress. Te group is a portal into the radio, to make the choice also the voice of her immediate world, in- to connect and become joyful, youthful and cluding furnishings in her apartment. energized again. RADIO CHOIR – ever present, though occupying a special, magical place apart from Nora’s real world.

4 PART ONE: A Really Bad Day Hey! Hey Buddy! Watch it! What?!? Te RADIO CHOIR intones mysterious- Up yours! ly in the background. An energetic change of rhythm and sound comes with NORA’s Suddenly chaos. Random whistling, yell- sudden entrance. She is perhaps in her late ing, and screaming as Nora fnally gets to 40s or 50s and looks completely “thrown to- her apartment and slams shut the door. gether.” Te actress is followed by the NORA Tere are many locks. CHOIR, which snakes in behind her, crit- icizing and commenting. She is frantic, “Click” “Click” “Click” “Click” “Bolt” distressed, unhappy and making her way “Slide” “Chain” home afer a truly horrible day at the ofce. A sad quiet hovers. Te NORA sopranos NORA (to herself) become her MIRROR. Te altos are a Nora, I swear. CHAIR. Te tenors a LAMP. Te baritones Bad day. Bad news. Bad dress. a CLOCK. Te RADIO CHOIR continues I swear. to sing in its magical, separate space. Bad hair. Bad shoes. Big mess. You’re a mess, Nora. You’re a mess. CLOCK I swear. Tick Tock Tick Tock … (She looks at her cell phone.) No “friends.” No “likes.” No texts. LAMP No messages. No sex. You forgot to get a light bulb. We need a No one calls and no one cares. light bulb, Nora. I swear… Especially not me! Put down the phone, Nora. MIRROR Put down your stupid, stupid, stupid Nora, I swear you look like hell on legs. phone. Go home, Nora. Go home! CHAIR (Shouting) No, I don’t.

5 MIRROR CHAIR Yes, you do. More years.

CHAIR LAMP Do not. No laughs.

MIRROR CLOCK Do, too. Just tears.

CHAIR CHAIR I swear. I swear.

LAMP MIRROR If we had a light bulb, you’d see you do. Pity party! Pity party for pathetic Nora, again! MIRROR So there. ALL Pity party! Pity party! CHAIR (Crying like babies) Waa waa waa waa Tanks a lot. WAA! Stop it! Just stop. Now. CLOCK (Alarm is ringing obnoxiously.) Beep (A change of tempo and mood. NORA de- beep beep termines to distract herself and get out of her awful funk.) (NORA stops the clock and looks closely in the mirror.) MIRROR & CHAIR Read a magazine, perhaps? MIRROR More lines.

6 (Te RADIO CHOIR makes sounds of (Te tone has gotten very sad. NORA goes fipping pages as she thumbs through.) to a large, old console radio and turns it on. It warms up and the RADIO CHOIR comes ALL into full view singing a jolly swing tune.) (Intrigued) Hmm… (Surprised) Ohhh!! RADIO CHOIR (Pleased) Aaahh!! Let others waste the night (Disappointed) No… Let them curse their fate For us, it’s time to taste delight tonight! LAMP And just in case, Some chocolate ice cream, perhaps? I’ve got wicked, wonderful plans!

ALL Every little spark that shines in the dark Mmmmmmmm… Seems to start up a fre gone cold. Although though though in the day MIRROR I hide hide hide it away No! At night it’s you you you that I hold.

ALL (A fun musical break proves irresistible. No no no no no no no… Nora. NORA claps and stomps along and even laughs a little.) (NORA looks at a bouquet of dead fowers in a vase and throws them away. Ten, she So when I hear a car – BEEP BEEP takes a letter out of her purse and looks at BEEP! – out on the street it long and hard.) When I hear a little knock – KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK – knock at my door MIRROR & CHAIR It better be special delivery What kind of jerk returns a handwritten It’s you you you: the one I adore! letter unopened? Open the door! (KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK)

7 Open the door! (KNOCK KNOCK You’ve got a date! KNOCK) You’ve got a date! You’ve got a … NORA CHOIR Nora! Nora! Open the door! NORA CHOIR Agh! Stupid song! (Caught up in the enthusiastic lyrics, she runs and unlocks the door.) (NORA slams and locks the door and changes the station through several commercials.) LAMP Hurry! RADIO CHOIR …problem with your plumbing? We’ll MIRROR clean your pipes today! Hurry! …KYRU-U-U-U!! …heartbreak of psoriasis… NORA CHOIR …feas and ticks… Click Click Click Bolt Slide Chain …You’re losing your country! Chain! Te stupid chain! (At last she hits a rap song, listens and even RADIO CHOIR improvises some “beat box” rhythms.) Let others waste the night Let them curse their fate RADIO CHOIR For us, it’s time to taste delight tonight! Yo-Hey-Yo-Hey-Yoooooo And just in case, Sittin’ in a chair there starin’ right I’ve got wicked, wonderful plans! through me. You don’t hear me sayin’ come over here (NORA opens the door. Nobody is there.) do me. Don’t you walk away, I got somethin’ to And you’ve got a date! itch, yeah. You’ve got a date! Come on over, baby, you can be my…

8 (She abruptly changes the station back to CLOCK the swing song.) Here it comes!

Date! You’ve got a date! RADIO CHOIR and NORA CHOIR You’ve got a date! sway and sing together. You’ve got a date! Nada mas. Nada mas. You’ve got a … Nothing more, my love. Oh, my darling. Nada mas. Nothing lef but this sorrow. (She shrieks & changes it to a Latin num- Nothing’s right ber à la Doris Day.) Since you lef.

(Soloist) (Te song swells into a grand heartrend- …whisper none but you can hear. ing chorus. NORA clutches her returned My cheek is dry, but you I thought letter.) would see the tear. Nada mas! Nada mas! LAMP Nothing more, my love! Oh, my darling! I love this song! Nada mas! Nada mas! Nothing lef!

MIRROR, CHAIR, CLOCK RADIO CHOIR only Shhhhh!!! (Soloist) Nothing’s better since you sent back my letter unopened. RADIO CHOIR (Soloist) (NORA gasps) Yes, here my darling deep within my heart Is what you missed when we kissed and (Soloist) I poured my heart out, you parted. didn’t even bother to read A single word and now my life is… CHAIR Wait for it.

9 (Disturbed that the song is suddenly …Nothing’s right since you lef. Nada about exactly what’s bothering her, NORA mas… abruptly changes the station again and we hear a commercial jingle.) (…and winds up back at the commercial. And suddenly the dial is frozen. She can’t … Cuckoo! Cuckoo! It’s time to try turn it of or move it around at all.) Stabilify! Cuckoo! Yes, you! …side efects may include nausea, Yes, you have forgotten what it’s like to vomiting, anal leakage, heart attack, smile. stroke, kidney, liver failure, chest pain, Every step feels like it takes a mile. dead brain, weak arms and legs, erratic You get up, sit down and start to cry. pulse and heartbeat, trouble breathing, It’s time to try Stabilify! coughing, wheezing, suicidal thoughts and death! Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo! Yes, you! Yes, you will be feeling so much better! Trust Stabilify, Nora! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! When you try Stabilify! Stabilify! Sta- (Te radio has spoken to her directly. Ter- bilify! ribly alarmed, she hits the radio and it And throw away that letter! seems to go silent for a moment.) Tat letter… Tat … MIRROR Tat’s a really weird radio. (Once again, a direct address about her letter. Even more disturbed, NORA switch- CLOCK es stations several times…) Spooky.

…date! You’ve got a date! You’ve got a LAMP date! You’ve got a… I’m scared. …Yo! Hey! Yo! Hey! Yo! Go go go…

10 (Te radio starts repeating NORA’s name LAMP louder and louder.) Letting go…

RADIO CHOIR CHAIR Nora … Nora … Nora … Tat’s funny.

MIRROR [ARIA] Go away! NORA CHOIR CHAIR Wake up, go to work, come home and then Who’s there? Tomorrow, start all over again And again and again and again… CLOCK Who’s there? RADIO CHOIR Nora … Nora … Nora … LAMP Who’s there? I’m scared! NORA CHOIR Long before I noticed something had NORA CHOIR changed Go away! Go away! Did I realize? Was I aware when my heart Became estranged from all I hoped to (She unplugs the radio, but the voices share? continue.) RADIO CHOIR RADIO CHOIR Turn the dial, you’re still you. Nora! What are you looking for? Same old song, diferent tune. Do you know? Do you remember ever really letting go? ALL Waiting and hoping for something Or somebody to come through.

11 RADIO Careless, empty, unlovable Nora. Who are you? Who are you? No one knows she’s around. Boring, “nice,” unremarkable Nora. NORA Ignorable Nora! Invisible Nora! Who am I? Who the hell are you? Te luckiest woman in town!

RADIO (Frustrated and deeply unhappy, NORA We’re here, Nora, waiting. Waiting for you. hits the radio. And again. And fnally a third time. Te front of the console seems NORA to loosen. NORA opens it and realizes it is No one’s there. Tis is crazy. I’m going a door. Magical music seems to call her.) crazy. I’m going mad! RADIO CHOIR RADIO Nora … Nora … Nora … Open the door, Nora. Open the door! (She hesitates, then decides to go in. Te NORA Nora Choir precedes the silent actress play- What door? What for? ing NORA so that she is all alone. Afer a fnal hesitation, she enters. Te two choirs RADIO join as one, forming a long and winding Were you aware tunnel with their arms: NORA’s pathway. When your heart became estranged From this point forward, NORA is por- From all you hoped to share? trayed only by the actress.) Nora, who are you When you cease to care? CHOIR Where are you? PART TWO: Trough the Door Somewhere lost in the waves. Over, under and through. NORA Lost in the waves. Tat’s right! Tat’s right! I don’t care! Te deepest tunnels are carved with sound.

12 Te way to a heart that is yet to be found. Your dance has only just begun. Where are you? It’s the dreamer’s refrain! Lost in the waves. Over, under and through. (Te choir becomes a big swing band with What will you fnd waiting for you? members imitating instruments. NORA begins to dance and move to the music. (Te Choir pulls away and NORA is alone Ten the choir invites her to create her in near silence. What next? She fnds and own song.) follows a long cable that leads to a micro- phone. She plugs in the cable and music Your hidden song is something new: seems to fow through her – as though she Your dream melody! were the conduit. It is a joyful experience.) Make it up. It’s all up to you. Nora, what will it be? CHOIR Shhh! Yes! Ah ha! Long or short? High or low? Which way A kite string sings. will your melody go? A jump rope hums. Up and down, a windblown kite, where You’re inside the waves! will your song take us tonight? Your heart strings wake Oooooooo! A melody strums Look! Te stars are just bubbles When you’re inside the waves! In a glass of champagne Inside the waves! Tere’s a rat-a-tat-tat rat-a-tat-tat waking Tis is your show. up the band. Just give us the cue. And something is tickling the palm of Nora, show us the way! your hand! Oooooooo! Your hidden song is something new: Look! Te stars are just bubbles your dream melody. In a glass of champagne Twelve tones in a row. It’s all up to you. Inside the waves! Nora, you hold the key.

13 (Twelve choristers stand in front of NORA. RIDE She reaches out and touches one. Ten anoth- ON er. Each has a single word and a single tone. WAVES 12 choristers. 12 words. 12 tones. NORA must solve the puzzle of these words and tones.) YOU’RE NOT YOU’RE HERE NOT WHY LIMITLESS TRY HERE LIMITLESS SOMEHOW SKY THROUGH SOMEHOW WAVES WHY WHY TRY TRY RIDE ON WHY SKY TRY

(NORA is bafed. How on earth will she (NORA thinks about giving up, then gets make sense of this? She tries rearranging a an idea and goes at it again with new de- few choristers.) termination.)

RIDE WHY THROUGH NOT ON TRY WAVES (An idea.) RIDE ON WAVES

14 YOU’RE Where are you going? HERE How will you start? THROUGH We’re here, always here with you LIMITLESS Inside your heart SKY SOMEHOW Open the door WHY To the secret place we’re in NOT TRY Somehow you’re here Why not try? YOU’RE Ride on waves HERE Trough limitless sky. SOMEHOW A secret world (Aha! NORA has solved the puzzle.) Where the greatest of sins Are “would have” (“I would have…”) SOMEHOW YOU’RE HERE “could have” (“I could have…”) WHY NOT TRY? and “should have been…” RIDE ON WAVES THROUGH LIMITLESS SKY. Where there’s nothing to conquer But a mountain of chance (Te full choir joins in to sing and sur- And you’re lost in the waves round NORA. Tey present her with a Lost in the dance! dozen roses – one for each of the 12 tones.) Somehow you’re here A dozen roses Why not try? 12 notes, enchanted keys Ride on waves Combined, assorted, shufed, rearranged, Trough limitless sky. A bouquet of possibilities!

15 PART THREE: A New Day Oooooooo! Look! Te stars are just bubbles (Te music calms. Te lights dim. Afer a In a glass of champagne moment, the lights come up again. NORA Inside the waves! is back in her apartment, waking as from a Tis is your show, just give us the cue. dream. Was it all a dream? She listens and Nora, you lead the way. the furniture is not talking to her. Te radio is silent. Ten, she looks over and sees the beautiful, red roses that were presented to her in the Radio. On the roses is a note, PATTERNS which she reads as the choir sings…) Early in my career, I was lucky enough A dozen roses to become a friend and frequent collab- 12 notes, enchanted keys orator of the great, generous American Combined, assorted, shufed, rear- mezzo-soprano Frederica (“Flicka”) ranged, von Stade. In addition to accompany- A bouquet of possibilities! ing her in recitals, I was invited to com- pose songs for her. By now, in addition Where are you going? to dozens of songs, I’ve also composed How will you start? three starring opera roles for her: Mrs. We’re here, always here with you De Rocher (Dead Man Walking), Made- Inside your heart. line Mitchell (Tree Decembers) and Open the door… Winnie Flato (Great Scott). In 1999, just before completing my frst opera, I was (NORA looks at the returned letter that invited by the San Francisco Girls Cho- caused her so much grief the day before. rus to create a short, dramatic work that She smiles, tears it into pieces and throws would feature a solo role for Flicka. I it in the air like confetti.) chose Amy Lowell’s Patterns, the story of a passionate, young aristocratic woman Shhh! Yes! Ah ha! who sufers the death of her fancé in a

16 war-torn world. Tough her life has been Just a plate of current fashion, turned upside down, she grieves private- Tripping by in high-heeled, ribboned ly and internally, compelled to maintain shoes. a façade of formality and strength – her Not a sofness anywhere about me, passion warring against the relentless, Only whale-bone and brocade. heartless patterns of life and society that And I sink on a seat in the shade trap her. Te frst performance was given Of a lime tree. For my passion at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francis- Wars against the stif brocade. co on May 24, 1999, led by Sharon J Paul. Te dafodils and squills Flutter in the breeze As they please. Patterns And I weep; Text by Amy Lowell (1874–1925) For the lime tree is in blossom And one small fower has dropped upon I walk down the garden paths, my bosom. And all the dafodils Are blowing, and the bright blue squills. And the splashing of waterdrops I walk down the patterned garden paths In the marble fountain In my stif, brocaded gown. Comes down the garden paths. With my powdered hair and jewelled Te dripping never stops. fan, Underneath my stifened gown I too am a rare Is the sofness of a woman bathing in a Pattern. As I wander down marble basin, Te garden paths. A basin in the midst of hedges grown So thick, she cannot see her lover hiding, My dress is richly fgured, But she guesses he is near, And the train And the sliding of the water Makes a pink and silver stain Seems the stroking of a dear On the gravel, and the thrif Hand upon her. Of the borders. What is Summer in a fne brocaded gown!

17 I should like to see it lying in a heap Is a letter I have hid. upon the ground. It was brought to me this morning by a All the pink and silver crumpled up on rider from the Duke. the ground. “Madam, we regret to inform you that Lord Hartwell I would be the pink and silver as I ran Died in action Tursday sen’night.” along the paths, As I read it in the white, morning And he would stumble afer, sunlight, Bewildered by my laughter. Te letters squirmed like snakes. I should see the sun fashing from his “Any answer, Madam,” said my footman. sword-hilt and the buckles on his shoes. “No,” l told him. I would choose “See that the messenger takes some To lead him in a maze along the pat- refreshment. terned paths, No, no answer.” A bright and laughing maze for my And I walked into the garden, heavy-booted lover, Up and down the patterned paths, Till he caught me in the shade, In my stif, correct brocade. And the buttons of his waistcoat bruised Te blue and yellow fowers stood up my body as he clasped me, proudly in the sun, Aching, melting, unafraid. Each one. With the shadows of the leaves and the I stood upright too, sundrops, Held rigid to the pattern And the plopping of the waterdrops, By the stifness of my gown. All about us in the open afernoon Up and down I walked, I am very like to swoon Up and down. With the weight of this brocade, For the sun sifs through the shade. In a month he would have been my husband. Underneath the fallen blossom In a month, here, underneath this lime, In my bosom, We would have broke the pattern;

18 He for me, and I for him, I SHALL NOT LIVE IN VAIN He as Colonel, I as Lady, On this shady seat. It’s been a singular pleasure to explore He had a whim Emily Dickinson’s poems through the Tat sunlight carried blessing. years and to set some of them at difer- And I answered, “It shall be as you have ent periods of my life. I shall not live in said.” vain states a credo that I try to live by. I Now he is dead. had long been drawn to the poem, but it wouldn’t sing to me and so a musical In Summer and in Winter I shall walk setting remained elusive. Ten in 1995, Up and down I heard the radiant American sopra- Te patterned garden paths no Renée Fleming in a production of In my stif, brocaded gown. Dvořák’s Rusalka in San Francisco. Com- Te squills and dafodils pletely knocked out and deeply inspired Will give place to pillared roses, and to by her voice and presence, I went home asters, and to snow. and in a couple of hours composed the I shall go song. I ofered it to Renée as a gif and she Up and down, gave the frst performance in New York at In my gown. Alice Tully Hall in May of 1996. Gorgeously arrayed, Boned and stayed. Te poem is stated twice in my setting. Te And the sofness of my body will be frst time, I imagine a person feeling at a guarded from embrace loss for her purpose on earth. She yearns By each button, hook, and lace. to matter, to make a diference in just one For the man who should loose me is heart, one life, even to one small robin. And dead, then joyfully she realizes that her words are Fighting with the Duke in Flanders, a personal call to action: that if she reaches In a pattern called a war. out generously to one other life, then her Christ! What are patterns for? own has purpose and meaning, and her presence on the planet is not in vain.

19 Two years afer the song was frst per- (Joseph DeRocher) and the nun who formed, Frederica von Stade asked me becomes his spiritual advisor (Sister Hel- to make a special arrangement for her en). With a libretto by Terrence McNally, to sing with girls choir, handbells and based on the best-selling book by Sister piano to celebrate the 150th anniversary Helen Prejean, Dead Man Walking has of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. For received more than 40 international pro- this, I added a setting of Salve Regina for ductions since its world premiere at the the choir to intone throughout. Te frst San Francisco Opera in October of 2000, performance was October 6, 1998 at the making it one of the most performed State University of New York (SUNY) in new American operas. Te original pro- Purchase. duction starred the beloved mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Sister Helen in a searing performance that was hailed as I Shall Not Live in Vain dazzling and groundbreaking. Te drama Text by Emily Dickinson (1830–86) opens with Joseph’s brutal crime, imme- diately followed by the appearance of Sis- If I can stop one heart from breaking, ter Helen, who intones the hymn He Will I shall not live in vain; Gather Us Around. Tis original hymn If I can ease one life the aching, becomes an anchor for her throughout Or cool one pain, the opera and provides a melodic motif Or help one fainting robin that pervades the score. Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain. In 2003, I was invited for a weeklong resi- dency at Wichita State University to coach students on my songs as well as scenes from Dead Man Walking. Te SATB ar- HE WILL GATHER US AROUND rangement of He Will Gather Us Around was commissioned for this occasion and Te opera Dead Man Walking tells the received its premiere there on April 6, story of a convicted man on death row 2003, conducted by Dr. Tomas Wine.

20 He Will Gather Us Around All around us, peace. from the opera Dead Man Walking All around us, light. Text by Jake Heggie All around us, love. Love will gather us around. He will gather us around, all around By and by You and I — Notes by Jake Heggie All around him, gather us around.

Peace will gather us around, all around By and by You and I All around, gather us around.

“Don’t be afraid, I have called and you are mine.” Oh love will gather us around. “I will be with you” All around, love will gather us around.

God will gather us around, all around Our sisters and our brothers Our fathers and our mothers Love will gather us around By and by You and I We will gather all around.

By and by. You and I. Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer

21 Jake Heggie

22 Jake Heggie Season. A production from the San Fran- Jake Heggie is the composer of the cisco Opera has been released on DVD operas Moby-Dick (libretto by Gene (EuroArts). Scheer), Dead Man Walking (libretto by Terrence McNally), Tree Decembers A Guggenheim Fellow, Heggie was Com- (Scheer), Te End of the Afair (McDon- poser-in-Residence at San Francisco Op- ald), Out of Darkness – A Holocaust Trip- era and served for three years as a mentor tych (Scheer), To Hell and Back (Scheer) for Washington National Opera’s Ameri- and, At the Statue of Venus (McNally) in can Opera Initiative. He is also a frequent addition to Te Radio Hour: A Choral guest artist and master teacher at uni- Opera (Scheer). Two newer stage works versities and conservatories, including are Great Scott (McNally) for Te Dallas Boston University, Bucknell, Cornell, Opera (2015), and an opera based on It’s Te Royal Conservatory in Toronto, a Wonderful Life (Scheer) for the Hous- University of North Texas, University of ton Grand Opera (2016). Heggie has also Colorado, USC’s Tornton School, Van- composed more than 250 art songs, as derbilt University, and at festivals such as well as concerti, chamber music, choral SongFest at the Colburn School, Ravinia and orchestral works, including his Ahab Festival, and VISI in Vancouver. Symphony (2013). Jake Heggie frequently collaborates as Te operas have been produced on fve composer and pianist with some of the continents. Dead Man Walking has re- world’s most loved singers, including so- ceived more than 40 productions world- pranos Kiri Te Kanawa, Ailyn Pérez and wide since its San Francisco Opera pre- Talise Trevigne; mezzo-sopranos Jamie miere in 2000 and has been recorded Barton, Joyce DiDonato, Susan Graham live twice. Moby-Dick has received six and Frederica von Stade; Broadway stars international productions since its 2010 Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald; ten- premiere at Te Dallas Opera and was ors William Burden, Stephen Costello telecast nationally in 2013 as part of and Jay Hunter Morris; baritones Nathan Great Performances’ 40th Anniversary Gunn, Michael Mayes and Morgan Smith.

23 Gene Scheer Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and Mr. Scheer’s work is noted for its scope in 2011 was performed by the orchestra, and versatility. With the composer Jake with Japp von Sweeden conducting, at Heggie he has collaborated on a num- Carnegie Hall. ber of diferent projects, including the critically acclaimed 2010 Dallas Opera Also a composer in his own right, Mr. world premiere, Moby-Dick, starring Ben Scheer has written a number of songs Heppner as Captain Ahab; Tree De- for singers such as Renée Fleming, Syl- cembers (Houston Grand Opera), which via McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer starred Frederica von Stade; and the lyric Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan drama To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Gunn. Te distinguished documentary Baroque Orchestra), which featured Patti flmmaker Ken Burns prominently fea- LuPone. Other works by Scheer and Heg- tured Mr. Scheer’s song “American An- gie include Camille Claudel: Into the Fire, them” (as sung by Norah Jones) in his a song cycle premiered by Joyce di Dona- Emmy-Award-winning World War II to and the Alexander String Quartet. Mr. documentary for PBS entitled Te War. Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in Susan Graham 2005. Teir frst opera, Térèse Raquin, Susan Graham—dubbed “America’s fa- written for the Dallas Opera in 2001, was vorite mezzo” by Gramophone maga- cited by Opera News as one of the ten zine—rose to the highest echelon of in- best recordings of 2002. Other recent ternational artists within just a few years collaborations include the lyrics for of her professional debut, mastering Wynton Marsalis’s It Never Goes Away, an astonishing range of repertoire and featured in Mr. Marsalis’s work Con- genres along the way. Her operatic roles go Square. With the composer Steven span four centuries, from Monteverdi’s Stucky, Mr. Scheer wrote the oratorio Au- Poppea to Sister Helen Prejean in Jake gust 4, 1964. Te work, nominated for a Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, which was Grammy in 2013, was premiered by the written especially for her. Graham won

24 a Grammy Award for her collection of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Covent Ives songs, and her recital repertoire is Garden, Paris Opera, La Scala, Bavar- so broad that 14 composers from Pur- ian State Opera, Vienna State Opera, cell to Sondheim are represented in a the Salzburg Festival, and many more. recent album, Virgins, Vixens & Viragos. In addition to creating the role of Sis- Troughout her career, however, this dis- ter Helen Prejean in the world premiere tinctly American artist has been recog- production of Dead Man Walking at San nized as one of the foremost exponents Francisco Opera, Graham sang the lead- of French vocal music; a Texas native, she ing ladies in the Met’s world premieres of was awarded the French government’s John Harbison’s Te Great Gatsby and To- prestigious “Chevalier de la Legion bias Picker’s An American Tragedy, and d’Honneur,” both for her popularity as a made her Dallas Opera debut as Tina in a performer in France and in honor of her new production of Te Aspern Papers by commitment to French music. Dominick Argento. As Houston Grand Opera’s Lynn Wyatt Great Artist, she Te mezzo’s earliest operatic successes launched the 2013-14 season as Prince were in such “trouser” roles as Cherubino Orlofsky in the company’s frst staging of in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Her tech- Die Fledermaus in 30 years, before head- nical expertise soon brought mastery of ing an all-star cast as Sycorax in the Met’s Mozart’s more virtuosic roles, like Sesto Baroque pastiche Te Enchanted Island in La clemenza di Tito, Idamante in Ido- and making her rapturously received mu- meneo, and Cecilio in Lucio Silla, as well sical theater debut in a new production of as the title roles of Handel’s Ariodante Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Te King and I and Xerxes. She went on to triumph in at the Téâtre du Châtelet in Paris. the iconic Richard Strauss mezzo roles, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and the It was in an early Lyon production of Ber- Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos. Tese lioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict that Graham brought Graham to prominence on all scored particular raves from the interna- the world’s major opera stages, including tional press, and a triumph as Massenet’s the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chérubin at Covent Garden sealed her

25 Susan Graham

26 operatic stardom. Further invitations to Graham’s afnity for French repertoire collaborate on French music were forth- has not been limited to the opera stage, coming from many of that repertoire’s pre- and serves as the foundation for her ex- eminent conductors, including Sir Colin tensive concert and recital career. Such Davis, Charles Dutoit, James Levine, and great oratorios and symphonic song cy- Seiji Ozawa. New productions of Gluck’s cles as Berlioz’s La mort de Cléopâtre and Iphigénie en Tauride, Berlioz’s La dam- Les nuits d’été, Ravel’s Shéhérazade, and nation de Faust, and Massenet’s Werther Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer were mounted for the mezzo in New York, take her to the world’s leading orchestras, London, Paris, Chicago, San Francisco, with regular appearances at the New York and elsewhere. She made title role debuts Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Or- in Ofenbach’s comic masterpieces La belle chestre de Paris, and London Symphony. Hélène and Te Grand Duchess of Gerol- In 2014, she joined Bernard Haitink and stein at Santa Fe Opera, and proved herself the Boston Symphony for Shéhérazade the standout star of the Met’s star-studded in Boston and at Carnegie Hall, and in revival of Berlioz’s Les Troyens, which was 2014-15 she sang Berlioz with the Roy- broadcast live in 2015 to cinema audienc- al Flemish Philharmonic for La mort de es worldwide in the company’s celebrated Cléopâtre, and Les nuits d’été with both Live in HD series. In 2015, she returned to the London Symphony Orchestra and the Met in the title role of Susan Stroman’s John Eliot Gardiner’s Orchestre Revolu- production of Lehar’s Te Merry Widow, tionnaire et Romantique. Marking her before closing the season opposite Bryan frst duo recital tour in 2013, the mezzo Hymel in a new staging of Les Troyens at teamed up with soprano Renée Flem- San Francisco Opera. In 2014 she was a ing at venues including Disney Hall and headliner in gala concerts at Los Angeles Carnegie Hall. In 2015, she reunited with Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, where regular recital partner Malcolm Mar- she joined Jane Lynch, Renée Fleming, tineau for a West Coast tour and a sea- Ramsey Lewis, and others to celebrate the son-closing recital in Classical Action’s latter company’s 60th anniversary. Michael Palm Series.

27 Graham’s distinguished discography fea- ers with orchestras throughout Europe, tures all the works described above, as Asia, the former Soviet Union and South well as solo albums including Un frisson America and, closer to home, with Pacifc français, a program of French song re- Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Musica corded with pianist Malcolm Martineau Angelica and the Los Angeles Chamber for Onyx; C’est ça la vie, c’est ça l’amour!, Orchestra. Equally versatile whether on an album of 20th-century operetta rar- the podium or behind the scenes, Alex- ities on Erato; and La belle époque, an ander has prepared choruses for many award-winning collection of songs by of the world’s most outstanding orches- Reynaldo Hahn with pianist Roger Vi- tral conductors, including Zubin Mehta, gnoles, from Sony. Among the mezzo’s Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, Michael Til- additional honors are Musical America’s son Tomas, Leonard Slatkin, Esa-Pek- Vocalist of the Year and an Opera News ka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Lukas Award. Foss, Max Rudolf, Carl St.Clair, Gerard Schwarz, Marin Alsop, John Mauceri, John Williams and Keith Lockhart. John Alexander Artistic Director of Pacifc Chorale since A proponent of contemporary American 1972, John Alexander is one of America’s music, Alexander is noted for the strong most respected choral conductors. His in- representation of American works and spired leadership both on the podium and composers in his programming. He has as an advocate for the advancement of the conducted many premieres of works by choral art has garnered national and inter- composers such as Jake Heggie, Morten national admiration and acclaim. Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, Frank Ticheli, and James Hopkins. Alexander’s long and distinguished career has encompassed conducting hundreds Alexander is nationally recognized for of choral and orchestral performances his leadership in the musical and organi- nationally and in 27 countries around zational development of the performing the globe. He has conducted his sing- arts. He is a board member and former

28 John Alexander president of Chorus America, the ser- California State University, Fullerton, hav- vice organization for choruses in North ing been awarded the honor of Professor America. Alexander also has served on Emeritus. From 1970 to 1996, he held the artistic review panels for national, state- position of Director of Choral Studies at wide and local arts organizations, in- California State University, Northridge. cluding the National Endowment for the Alexander continues his involvement in Arts, the California Arts Council, and the the pre-professional training of choral Los Angeles County Arts Commission. conductors. He is in demand as a teacher, Alexander retired in spring 2006 from his clinician, and adjudicator in festivals, sem- position as Director of Choral Studies at inars and workshops across the United 29 States. In 2003, Chorus America honored John Alexander Singers him with the establishment of the “John Te John Alexander Singers, Pacifc Cho- Alexander Conducting Faculty Chair” for rale’s professional chamber choir, is a their national conducting workshops. 24-voice ensemble of outstanding choral musicians from throughout Southern Cal- Alexander is a composer of many works ifornia. While most of these singers also and serves as the editor of the John Al- serve as part of the professional core of exander Choral Series with Hinshaw Mu- Pacifc Chorale’s 140-voice ensemble, their sic, as well as the John Alexander Singers work with the John Alexander Singers fo- Choral Series with Pavane Publishing. cuses on specialized repertoire appropri- His numerous tributes and awards in- ate for a professional chamber chorus. clude the “Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Profes- Te Pacifc Chorale regularly presents sional Choral Art” from Chorus Amer- the John Alexander Singers in concert ica (2008); Te “Distinguished Faculty venues throughout Southern California. Member” award from California State Te Singers have collaborated extensively University, Fullerton (2006); the Hel- with Musica Angelica, Southern Califor- ena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award nia’s premier period instrument orches- (2003), presented in honor of his lifetime tra. Other notable collaborations include achievement as an artistic visionary in performances with the Los Angeles Phil- the development of the arts in Orange harmonic on their new music “Green County; the “Outstanding Individual Umbrella” series, and performances with Artist” Award (2000) from Arts Orange the Kronos Quartet, Mark Morris Dance County; the “Gershwin Award” (1990), Company, Te Royal Ballet of Covent presented by the county of Los Angeles Garden, Los Angeles Chamber Orches- in recognition of his cultural leadership tra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, in that city; and the “Outstanding Profes- and Pacifc Symphony. sor” Award (1976) from California State University, Northridge. Te John Alexander Singers’ frst recording, Sweet Harmony, contains music by

30 John Alexander Singers

Lili Boulanger, Benjamin Britten, Cecil es, featuring works by various American Efnger and Frank Ticheli. In addition, composers, was released on Delos in 2014. Sweet Harmony features the world pre- Te John Alexander Singers may be heard miere recordings of John Alexander’s as well on selected tracks of Pacifc Cho- compositions “Sweet Harmony” and “In rale’s 2013 recording of the collected cho- Praise of Music,” as well as James Hopkins’ ral works of Frank Ticheli, also on Delos. cycle “Te Rossetti Songs,” commissioned Te John Alexander Singers have ap- by Pacifc Chorale. Te Singers’ follow-up peared as a featured chorus at confer- CD, Shenandoah: Songs of the American ences of the American Choral Directors Spirit, which focuses on American folk Association, Chorus America’s national song, is available on the Gothic Records conference in Los Angeles, and the As- label. A later recording, American Voic- sociation of California Symphony Or-

31 chestras’ annual conference in Costa at Lewis’s home, the Kilns, at the Sheldo- Mesa in August 2007. Tey have served nian Teatre in Oxford, England. as the resident chorus for the California State University Summer Arts Festivals A lifelong church musician, he currently at Humboldt State University and CSU serves as accompanist for Irvine United Long Beach. Tey also served as resi- Congregational Church. His compo- dent professional choir for the California sitions have been performed by many Conducting Symposium, co-sponsored choirs throughout the U.S. In 1995 he by Chorus America and CSU Fullerton. won the American Orf-Schulwerk com- petition for his William Blake setting Te Tyger and the Lamb. Dr. Clemensen has David Clemensen been married to Diane since 1980. Tey David Clemensen is active as a pianist, are the proud parents of Steven. teacher, church musician and composer. A native Californian, he holds degrees from Chapman University, CSU Fuller- ton and USC. He has been the principal accompanist for Pacifc Chorale and the John Alexander Singers since 2003. He is in demand throughout Southern Califor- nia as a collaborator and coach.

Dr. Clemensen has taught at Biola Uni- versity and Orange Coast College, and maintains a private studio as an accompanist and teacher. Ofen called upon to lead music for events of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, in 2002 he directed the Ser- vice of Dedication for the Study Center

32 John Alexander Singers BASS Ryan Antal SOPRANO Aram Barsamian Kellee King Matthew Kellaway Maria Cristina Navarro Gordon LaCross Katharin Rundus Ricardo V. McKillips, Jr. Sarah Tompson Emmanuel Miranda Lorraine Joy Welling Andrea Zomorodian * Patterns, I Shall Not Live in Vain, and He Will Gather Us Around ALTO † Te Radio Hour Denean Dyson Laura Harrison * Members of Pacifc Symphony Stacey Kikkawa Carl St.Clair, Music Director I-Chin Lee Chelsea Lyons Raymond Kobler, violin Jane Shim Kevin Plunkett, cello Yilin Hsu Wentlandt † Steven Edelman, bass Lawrence Kaplan, fute TENOR David Chang, clarinet Daniel C. Babcock, Roger W. Johnson James Rotter, saxophone Memorial Chair Robert Slack, percussion Jason Francisco Aaron Mosley Handbell Choir Nicholas Preston Alex Guebert John St. Marie Christian Guebert Gregorio Taniguchi Trinity King Carol Pickford Megan Wright

33 Executive Producer: Carol Rosenberger Producer: Richard Messenger Associate Producers: Brian Sullivan & Ryan McSweeney Recording Engineers: Ted Ancona & Matthew Snyder Editing, Mixing & Mastering: Matthew Snyder Booklet Editor: Lindsay Koob Art Design & Layout: Lonnie Kunkel Photo Credits: Susan Graham (Benjamin Ealovega), Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer (Rob- ert Hart), John Alexander (Stan Sholik), Cover photo (Ellen Appel)

Te Radio Hour was co-commissioned by Pacifc Chorale, Conspirare, Te Philadel- phia Singers, and VocalEssence. It was premiered on May 18, 2014, and recorded on May 20, 2014, in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California. Eve Himmelheber portrayed Nora in the premiere performance, with stage direction by James R. Taulli.

Te commission of Te Radio Hour was made possible, in part, by the generous sup- port of Martin and Margie Hubbard.

Patterns, I Shall Not Live in Vain, and He Will Gather Us Around were recorded in Meng Concert Hall, Clayes Performing Arts Center, California State University, Ful- lerton on November 12, 13 and 15, 2014.

Tis project has been made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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35 Eve Himmelheber and the John Alexander Singers in the premiere production of The Radio Hour, May 18, 2014.

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