The Mother of Us All Libretto by GERTRUDE STEIN
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VIRGIL THOMSON The Mother of Us All Libretto by GERTRUDE STEIN and Thomson’s The Mother of Us All Suite MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC OPERA THEATER Steven Osgood conductor Dona D. Vaughn stage director The Mother of Us All Opera in Two Acts. Music: Virgil Thomson. Libretto: Gertrude Stein MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF Thaddeus Stevens, politician..........James Ludlum MUSIC OPERA THEATER Jo the Loiterer, war veteran......Alexander Frankel Steven Osgood, Conductor Chris the Citizen, war veteran...Cameron Johnson Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director/Stage Director Indiana Elliot, young provincial.....Gina Perregrino Gordon Ostrowski, Opera Producer/Assistant Dean Angel More, Daniel’s ghost lover....Kasia Borowiec Daniel Benavent, Associate Producer Henrietta M., 1890s feminist......Kathleen Spencer Henry B., 1870s poet...................Jonathon Thierer Peggy Imbrie, Stage Manager Anthony Comstock, postal clerk.....Nicholas Smith Erhard Rom, Scenic Designer John Adams, U.S. president................Carlton Moe Tracy Dorman, Costume Designer Constance Fletcher, lady............Addison Hamilton Christopher Akerlind, Lighting Designer Gloster Heming, intellectual.Paull-Anthony Keightley Francis Patrelle, Choreographer Isabel Wentworth, intellectual........Kendra Broom Jorge Parodi, Assistant Conductor Anna Hope, feminist.................Rachael Braunstein Miriam Charney, Chorus Master Lillian Russell, actress.............Margaret Newcomb Bill Tracy, Head Vocal Coach Jenny Reefer, feminist........................Amelia Berry June Marano-Murray, Vocal Coach Ulysseys S. Grant, U.S. president......Kim Johansen Kathryn LaBouff, Diction Coach Herman Atlan, French painter......Juan Daniel Melo Donald Gallup, college professor.......John Callison Mary Kathryn Blazek, Director of Production A.A., TT., page boys....................Nick Miller, Sol Jin Lankey & Limey Ltd., Production Managers Negro Man, Woman....Eliott Paige, Chanae Curtis Indiana Elliot’s Brother..................Nicholas Meyer CHORUS: CAST: Susan B. Anthony, U.S. activist......Noragh Devlin Rachel Braustein, Alexandra Clint, Chanae Curtis, Anne, Susan’s confidante.............Megan Samarin Lesley Dolman, Sol Jin, Shi Li, Jeanette Simpson, Gertrude S., American writer............Megan Gillis Christopher Melecio, K’idar Miller, Nick Miller, Virgil T., American composer.............Chad Sonka Alexander Muetzel, Allison Nicholas, Elliott Paige, Daniel Webster, U.S. senator............Scott Russell Kathleen Spencer, Terence Stone, Leela Andrew Johnson, U.S. president..Thomas Mulder Subramaniam, Jonathon Thierer ❦ 2 ❦ PROGRAM NOTES..................Jane Viale Jaffe Grant talks about Dwight Eisenhower. The In 1945, Virgil Thomson received a com- character Jo the Loiterer, a discharged Civil mission from the Alice A. Ditson Fund for an War veteran, was inspired by an American opera to be presented at Columbia University. soldier Stein met during World War II. Donald His first collaboration with Gertrude Stein, Four Gallup was another soldier friend who later Saints in Three Acts, had been acclaimed near- became a librarian at Yale and published her ly two decades before. When he sent Stein a posthumous works. The fictional character telegram proposing they collaborate again, she Indiana Elliot, who argues with Jo about enthusiastically responded. The Mother of Us changing her name when they marry, em- All tells the story of Susan B. Anthony, leader bodies something of Stein herself. of the women’s suffrage movement. Many of Stein first wrote the political meeting scene, the opera’s 26 characters are historic figures: followed by the opening domestic scene John Quincy Adams, Anthony Comstock, which, wrote Thomson, “might as well have Ulysseys S. Grant, Daniel Webster, President been herself and Alice B. Toklas conversing Andrew Johnson, Thaddeus Stevens, actress about Gertrude’s own career.” Stein sent Lillian Russell and Constance Fletcher all make Thomson the completed libretto in March appearances, as well as “Virgil T.” and “Ger- 1946; they went over it together, but she died trude S.” who serve as narrators. in July before he even began composing. The Ditson Fund commission enabled Thomson enlisted painter Maurice Grosser Thomson, also working as a music critic for the to help devise the scenario from Stein’s libret- Herald Tribune, to return to Paris to work with to, as he had for Four Saints. Together they Stein. He agreed to her feminist approach and reordered some scenes and restored Stein’s liked her ideas for mixing real and fictional discarded character Virgil T., also adding Ger- characters from different historical periods. The trude S.—both narrate and sing only to the debate in the libretto between Susan B. and audience. He began composing that October Daniel Webster, for instance, never actually and completed all but the final scene in two occurred, nor did Anthony have relationships months, then waited a month so that he could with the opera’s other characters in real life. “back off and view the rest.” He completed In The Mother of Us All, President John the orchestration in March and the premiere Quincy Adams woos Constance Fletcher, a took place May 9, 1947 at Columbia. The playwright and 1920s friend of Stein. U. S. Mother of Us All impressed the distinguished ❦ 3 ❦ Virgil Thomson Gertrude Stein Steven Osgood Dona D. Vaughn Composer Librettist Conductor Stage Director audience and the press received it favorably, alities rather than advance the plot. For but neither of New York’s major opera com- Thomson it was a continuation of his style of panies took on the work—nor did it have making the text come alive through natural backing for a Broadway run as Four Saints had inflections and sparing instrumental support. had. Even so, the opera has secured its place in He imparts familiarity through his hymns, the repertoire. New Yorker critic Andrew Porter waltzes and ballads, and he makes this work wrote in 1984 that he considered it one of the suggestive of its American theme with fan- three best American operas, if not the best. fares and drum rolls, political songs, Salvation The work receives frequent performances at Army-style marches and parlor songs. regional companies and colleges, especially in There is a coherence and seriousness in The Thomson’s own chamber-ensemble and solo Mother of Us All. For the concluding scene, piano reductions. when the unveiling of the statue reveals Susan Both Stein and Thomson considered direct B. herself, Thomson wrote some of the opera’s communication their main concern in The most moving music. Many have suggested that Mother of Us All. For Stein that meant almost Stein saw herself in her heroine, though Toklas creating a story line, though there is little tradi- insisted that she did not. Whatever the case, tional plot advancement. The characters simply Susan B.’s final soliloquy does sound like Stein say what they’re thinking without necessarily was writing her own epitaph, and it is truly responding or listening to what another char- regrettable that she did not live to hear Virgil acter is saying, which served to paint person- Thomson’s poignant setting. ❦ 4 ❦ SYNOPSIS Scene 5. The marriage of Jo and Indiana. ACT I Susan comtemplates the difficulties of marriage. A Scene 1 (Prologue). Susan B.’s drawing room. wedding party enters. John Adams and Constance Susan B. pastes clippings into a scrapbook while her resume their love scene, Daniel Webster woos his companion Anne knits. They discuss men’s failings, Angel More. Indiana’s brother rushes in to try to punctuated by Virgil T. and Gertrude S.’s comments. stop the marriage. Susan B. explains why she has never married. After much discussion, Daniel Web- Scene 2 A political meeting. ster pronounces the couple married. Susan predicts Virgil T. discusses economic and political injustice. that their children will one day have the vote. Politicians parade by, led by Daniel Webster, followed by Andrew Johnson, Ulysseys S. Grant, John Adams ACT II and others. Jo the Loiterer and Chris the Citizen, Scene 1. Susan’s drawing room. recently discharged from the Civil War, mock the Anne and Jenny enter to tell Susan B. that politi- politicians’ solemnity. Susan B. introduces herself. Jo cians want her to make a speech. Jo complains that tells Chris about his former wife. Angel More, a ghost Indiana won’t take his name, and he persuades (and old sweetheart of Daniel Webster), Jenny Reefer, Susan to speak. Constance Fletcher, Lilllian Russell, Indiana Elliot and Scene 2. The same place. others present themselves. Susan B. and Daniel de- Anne and Susan return. Susan’s speech has con- bate political rights for women, quoting from their vinced the fearful men politicians to enter the word own speeches and writings. “male” into the Constitution to ensure that women Scene 3. A village green. cannot vote. Lillian Russell joins Susan’s cause. Andrew Johnson and Thaddeus Stevens argue about Daniel Webster scolds Susan B. for her aspirations. politics. John Adams and Constance enjoy a love Indiana decides to takes Jo’s last name, but he must scene. Everyone then joins in a waltz. take hers too. All encourage Susan B. for her work on the right to vote for women and blacks. Scene 4. Susan B. Anthony’s dream. Susan B. daydreams about her mission. She has a Scene 3 (Epilogue). Some years later in the halls of vision of a black man and woman she has tried to Congress. A Susan B. Anthony statue is unveiled. help. Neither they nor the political VIPs will support Anne is alone and rejoices that women finally have her own goals. Jo asks Susan the difference between the vote. The others gather: they are the same rich and poor. If people are rich, she says, they don’t characters with the same life grievances. The statue listen. For me, she says, there is no wealth or poverty, is unveiled, revealing Susan B. herself. She sings “so long as I can write.” poignantly about her long life. ❦ 5 ❦ The Mother of Us All SUSAN B. politeness. ACT I I am not tired, VIRGIL T. GERTRUDE She said politeness was so Scene One CD 1, TRACK 1 (Susan B.