4 LAKE CHAMPLAIN WEEKLY • MARCH 20, 2019 Photo credit: MichaelCrouser RICKY IAN GORDON has been here before — written these notes, read these words, known unknown, hepickeditupandbroughthome. Gershwin’s George of score the of for instance.UncleSidworkedtheNew York Transit Authority. Oneday, hefoundacopy Sid, Uncle explain to Gordon’show in life. them moments Ask formative the of many so for that force this feel I seems tobeguidingmeinawaythatIcannotresist. where That isthelevelofintensity.” life my in times been have “There questions. of plenty has still he But McDonald. to Audra Upshaw Dawn to Fleming Renee from writes everyone by He sung music generation. his of composers successful most the of one is He therapist. his with would callsuchstatementscrazy. Hedoesn’t care. people some that understands He known. have must he time a of reminiscence the with ring these people, walked these roads. So many shadows ficker with familiarity; so many footsteps The doubters may scoff. But to the skeptics, one might ask what other explanation exists explanation other what ask might one skeptics, the to But scoff. may doubters The session a from returned just has He declares. he reincarnation,” in believe completely “I A Life Revisited A Life By BenjaminPomerance og ad Bess and Porgy icre o te uwy Fr reasons For subway. the on discarded 5 LAKE CHAMPLAIN WEEKLY • MARCH 20, 2019 . - had .” into his life. He The Light in the The Tibetan Book Tibetan The CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 CONTINUED ON PAGE The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath Porgy Porgy and Bess The Tibetan The Book Tibetan of the Dead as a way of together communicating The Tibetan Book of the Dead The Tibetan , was holding a fundraiser for the not-for-proft orga not-for-proft the for fundraiser a holding was , Which Which is why Gordon continues to work as if debt But nothing was more daunting than the offer that It was a success. If But he hadn’t bargained on love. Two years later, He turned to his piano and his writing desk. He was Gordon death brought The work that Jeffrey’s honored And when he did, opportunity didn’t just knock; it remembers. Gordon me,” to came people these of “All But there were decisions to make. First, he had to He didn’t starve. Instead, tempted with a multitude of Finally, one night, at the age of 33, he threw in the I felt like I was really on my way.” He laughs. “Of course, “Of laughs. He way.” my on really was I like felt I you’re never really on your way.” His collectors labors are have chasing kept him him daily. songs. his of album an recorded McDonald headlines. the in new life. Suddenly, the man who already had grown highly highly had grown the man who already Suddenly, new life. arriving as for a his art was songs burgeoning recognized respected started Commissions too. world, operatic the in force from increasingly prestigious houses, inspiring him to tackle matter. subject diffcult progressively showed up on his doorstep from the Minnesota Opera operatic an develop Opera: and Symphony Utah the and adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “Thestory has such dense,a rich, beloved text,” Gordon says. “Making it into an opera was either going to be a success or a disaster.” been Gordon’s operatic life, my baptism, in time frst the “For confrmation. his be to proved to reaction the of says he table,” the at seat a had I like felt I the premiere work’s in 2007. “This was the frst time that that time frst the was This me. about write to began people publishing house. “All of that year the and sober got I that year the was “That this states. happened in 1989,” he changed my life.” Gordon fipped head-over-heels for a man named Jeffrey. says. Gordon HIV-positive,” was he that me told he “Then most the make to was do to wanted I all that realized I “And out of every moment that we would have left together.” going to do what he always wanted to do ever since Uncle Sid brought to that score opera an of was opera frst “My opera. an write to going was see out Jeffrey of this world,” he explains. “It was an opera from him to read had I die. Jeffrey help to of Living and Dying for subject frst my how is that And life. his of end the about an opera became on his couch and sobbed. His friend become has life whole my Mary like feel ‘I said, “I wrong. was asked what nothing more than drinks and dinner,’” Before he the remembers.sun rose on the committedfollowing to sobriety. morning, he had roared, breaking down the doors at the loft where Adam Guettel, the prizewinning composer of Piazza included fundraiser The Crisis. Health Men’s Gay nization performances of some of Gordon’s original works. Very few of the attendees had heard any of creations Gordon’s Their reaction would transform everything. before. “They were all asking, few a ‘Who Within are me.” helping began them you? of some And Where have been?’ you weeks, he had a recording contract with RCA Victor and a publishing contract with the Rodgers & Hammerstein and put it all into notes.” and put it all choosewhether toperform thegreat works ofthe past or create the great works of recalls he the boring,” future.was “It option. former Forthe selected a he short period, of the jobs that he found as a pianist. “I grew to hate it so much. Finally, I made up my mind thatto write musicI was for a livinggoing and do nothing else, even if I starved in the process.” accessible excesses, he went in the opposite direction. A period that he wouldn’t mind forgetting ensued. No one was an easy life. said that a reincarnated life Arrivingtowel.homesprawledfromanotherheyet party, - , offering , once he Home Fires: Home Fires: Porgy Porgy and Bess The Victor Book of Operas but not until he had fulflled his mission — seeing seeing — mission his fulflled had he until not but

“Benjamin Aaron Britten, Alban Copland, Berg — all And it didn’t take much provocation before he left So, he ran away from home — So, he home from ran old on away and 12 off years Peter caught the bug, too. The friends started trekking “Mrs. Fox [the piano teacher] could see the look in And here came Peter, the kid who lived around the When young Gordon got his hands on that music, he

Photo credit: Mitch Carter Photo credit: fgured something out about the inner climate of my life so authentic to me,” Gordon states. “It was as if they had of these composers hit on something musically that felt

studies started to fourish, new sounds took over his ears. the middle of his Carnegie senior Mellon year. University opened its gates to him. And once his collegiate music was just holding him back. He left without his diploma in could sense was waiting for him, and high school drama again. He was seeking something something that lofty, he

Roberta Peters sing at the Met, snowstorm be damned. damned. be snowstorm Met, the at sing Peters Roberta America An Intimate Portrait of One Middle-Class Family in Postwarin Family Middle-Class One of Portrait Intimate An served as the subject for Donald Katz’s book course, the vagabond didn’t remain truant for long. He was thatfamily tumultuous the to back again, Island Long to back his his own, pounding the pavement in a horrid blizzard. Of

music I could fnd. It took over my life.” the Performing Arts, too. I’d take out every piece of opera the Performing them. And And them. I started going to Lincoln Center’s Library for Gordon recalls. “Joan Sutherland, Franco Corelli, all of tickets at the Metropolitan Opera. “We saw all of the stars,” the of all saw “We Opera. Metropolitan the at tickets virtually every Saturday, hoping to score standing room City on York from their Long Island community into New became absolutely obsessed with opera.” the book. I would read it every chance I could And get. I my eyes,” Gordon remembers. “She told me I could keep

plot summaries for more than a hundred operatic works. plot summaries for more than a hundred operatic cover in his hands: it and pulled a book from the shelf. He stared down at the bookcase. Then, almost mechanically, he walked over to invited Gordon to come to one of his piano Gordon watched his friend, his eyes wandered to a nearby lessons. As old, he befriended Peter. In an act of camaraderie, Peter block, a walking messenger. When Gordon was 8 years

decided, when he would create music like that for himself. for that like music create would he when decided, cal theatre, a new universe opened. A time would come, he come, would time A opened. universe new a theatre, cal dove into this marriage of opera and ragtime and musi he discovered those pages of gifted singer. He had played since the age of 5. But once wouldn’t wouldn’t let it go. He was already an artist by this point, skilled enough on the piano to accompany his mother, a

6 LAKE CHAMPLAIN WEEKLY • MARCH 20, 2019 Donations canbedropped ofat Elmore SPCA orby callingCarol at 534-3484 Please consider helpingourcommunity animals. Elmore SPCA isalways inneedofdonations. and spay/neutering. for medicines,vet services PO box 686, Peru 12972 payable to Elmore SPCA Monetary donations are GREATLY NEEDED CONTINUED FROMPAGE 5 ad ‘r yu *** idn m? Of me? kidding course, I’lldoit.’” f***** you ‘Are said, month, thejobwashis.” him about [Stein] and write the libretto in a if he could read 15 books that I would give faded friendship faded.’ And I told him that Gertrude friendship of fowers the ‘before was Stein from line favorite my that him told “I recalls. Gordon sing,” to paintings the wanted I that him told “I Hades. from Vavrek with an offer that sounded like a gift stage practically leapt onto the page. operatic the onto Stein putting of notion the to write commissionan opera for a soprano Stephanie received Blythe, Gordon when wereaworld that he had known before. So,this if as again, sensation familiar that felt he page, each On improved. condition ical multi-hued existence. CircleCharmed reading: was roommate his that book a up convalescence. During that time, he picked long a to leading sick, extremely became too, rests an instance Here, of fate. In college, Paris. Gordon in Fleurus de Rue 27 at hosted they that salons the and Toklas,B. the relationship of Gertrude Stein and Alice the Centaur Theatre, a chamber opera about at month this present will Opera Montreal and 1860s; the from County intrigue; suburban of tale a New Side; East York’s on Lower immigrants Jewish operas the-century of number — emerged stunning A history. venue’s venerated the in a composer living for program Songbook American frst the provide to him invited Center Lincoln exalting another another exalting about excited I’m paper, to pencil set I time Each in. live we times the speaking about chaos the in voice a as live to them my kids.Iwant are music of works These own. my of kids have don’t “I voice.” h cmoe luh. Ad Royce “And laughs. composer The Royce librettist presented he Then phys his while thing entire the read He , based on diary entries and letters and entries diary on based , onn Star Morning , focusing on Stein and her and Stein on focusing , 27 , the work that the that work the , Sycamore TreesSycamore aot turn-of- about , Rappahannock Photo credit: Gregory Downer - , or visitoperademontreal.com. 514-985-2258 call information, more and tickets For St. Xavier Francois St. 453 on located Theatre Centaur the at 31 March Ricky and 23 March present Gordon’s between Ian "27" will Opera Montreal The found. be to uncertain waiting destination road a toward a down pawing way his Island making Long of on pages those through kid that like much before, way this happened already had it if as almost familiar, sounds voice about that when Even excited voice.” another exalting I’m paper, I to time pencil Each set in. live we times speaking the chaos about the in voice a as live to themwant I kids. my are music of works ues. “I don’t have kids of my own. These own listlikethat.” my have to wanted I then, “Even recalls. Benjamin by composer the cover,” works back the on Britten other of list huge this with composition Britten Benjamin dream ofwhathewouldsomedaybecome. tainous piles of sheet music, the boy would moun the at Looking factory. publishing music Hawkes & Boosey the to go would because he pictured it this way. As a kid, he for Chicago. in Theatre creation Goodman the novel a on Nelson Richard author with He’s working on a opera. new on partner writing his Korie, Michael librettist with orating Center Theater.Lincoln and He’s collab commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera work a on Nottage Lynn playwright with forces joining He’stoday. life Gordon’s He stops. “I’m gay,” he fnally contin a of score a seeing remember “I to, has It this. like be to has it But occupies play of pace similar A The Grapes of Wrathof Grapes The Porgy and Bess and Porgy - - - , ,