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GLORY DENIED Opera by Tom Cipullo Based on the oral history by Tom Philpott Professional premiere Remarkable Theater Brigade, New York, June 2008 ©2006 Tom Cipullo. Used by permission. THE ANN & FRANK BUMSTEAD PRODUCTION JUDY & JOE BARKER JESSICA & ZACH LIFF CO-SPONSORS November 11, 12, 13, 2016 Noah Liff Opera Center Directed by John Hoomes Conducted by Dean Williamson Featuring the Nashville Opera Orchestra CAST & CHARACTERS Older Thompson Michael Mayes Older Alyce Rebecca Sjöwall Young Thompson Eric Neuville* Young Alyce Emma Grimsley* * Nashville Opera debut TICKETS Nashville Opera, 615.832.5242, nashvilleopera.org Available at all Ticketmaster outlets or at 615.255.ARTS MORE INFORMATION Contact Nashville Opera at 615.832.5242 or visit nashvilleopera.org. Study Guide Contributors Anna Young, Education Director Cara Schneider, Creative Director THE STORY Special Forces Officer Captain Floyd “Jim” Thompson was Upon Jim’s return, he is crushed to find the idealized shot down over Vietnam on March 26, 1964. He was held vision of his family life completely changed and is forced to captive for nearly nine years by the Viet Cong giving him the discover how to fit into society and move on. Throughout title of America’s longest held prisoner of war. Relying on our hero’s journey, Jim never complains about loss of life, the memories of his wife (Alyce) and faith in God, Jim sur - the torture he endured or the struggles he faces. He vives his imprisonment and returns home in 1973. He remains true to his life’s first love; being an American sol - returns to a country he no longer recognizes and a family dier. who barely recognizes him. Glory Denied speaks to the plight of so many of our veter - Alyce, having to raise their four children on her own and ans who nobly fight for their country but face huge chal - uncertain if Jim would ever return, was unsure whether or lenges when it comes to re-assimilating into society and not her husband was dead or alive. After years of fearing their longed-for normal lives after service. This true story the worst, she refuses to have Jim recognized nationally as a explores the relationship of Jim and Alyce and how his fate missing person with the intent of protecting her family shaped the rest of their lives. from further pain. She begins a new relationship and even - tually settles down with another man. LISTEN FOR THIS! Composer Tom Cipullo expertly crafts ple of the youth and innocence often asso - into how each deals with the loss of the Glory Denied with only four voices; a light ciated with a high soprano voice. other. Themes from earlier in the opera soprano (Young Alyce), a lyric soprano are reintroduced. Younger Alyce sings, (Older Alyce), a tenor (Young Thompson) “After You Hear Me Out” “Time passes so slowly but our fifth week and a baritone (Older Thompson). The repeats the Older Alyce when she comes of separation is over,” while the Older usage of the higher, lighter voices shows face-to-face with Jim for the first time after Alyce voices her frustration (the military youth and vulnerability. The robust, dark - his captivity. She has moved on and begun refused to declare her husband dead and er timbres give a more direct sound to a new life. The emphasis of the words and she longs to move on with her life as 8 years older Jim and Alyce, emphasizing wisdom returning musical phrase give a pleading have passed). Older Thompson reflects with the passage of time. The Younger intention to the character of Alyce as she upon his time in captivity while the words Alyce may depict Jim Thompson’s more honestly confronts Jim and explains to him of the psalm seem to transport the piece idealized vision and memory of his wife the choices she has made in his absence. into a prayer. Ending the first act, this while the Older Alyce may be a more real - ensemble marks Jim’s release from captivi - istic depiction of her character. Older Thompson Aria/Act I ensemble ty and transition back into civilian life. We see the characters often portrayed in Older Jim sings, “Everyone has their own parallel. This unique approach allows us sense of right and wrong, but few people Older Thompson Act II aria to view past and present simultaneously. stop to think about it. It’s just there. In Older Thompson sings of his frustration prison, I had time to think and to create a in a stream of consciousness. He lists the “My Darling Jim,” genuine sense of values. Things came out many changes happening in our country an aria sung by the Younger Alyce, quotes of my subconscious; things I’d long forgot - during the 1960’s and 1970’s. So much a letter between her and Jim during his ten. I could remember the names of gram - change occurred in our country and cul - deployment. It is simplistic in nature both mar school classmates and passages from ture during this time and this music per - musically and textually, and gives the lis - the Bible we had memorized as children. fectly depicts Thompson’s feelings with tener a look into the nature of Alyce’s life For a prisoner, the Twenty-Third Psalm loud dynamics, disjunct phrases and as a young mother and member of a mili - took on a meaning I had never dreamed of intense declamatory text. tary family. She speaks of the children and before.” The text of the Twenty-Third the melting of the snow outside their Psalm, sung by Younger Thompson, house. The sweetness of the vocal line is becomes a kind of descant over the texture. emphasized by the soft pianissimo dynam - The piece develops into a full ensemble ics in the final phrases. This is a fine exam - with all cast members allowing us insight ABOUT THE COMPOSER Name: Tom Cipullo Dates: b. November 22, 1956 LIFE AND CAREER Tom Cipullo, born November 22, 1956, is an American composer originally from Long Island, New York. Born into a musical family, Cipullo’s father successfully hosted a radio show in the 1950’s and 1960’s and performed as a jazz bassist. Cipullo, known for his vocal music, composed over 225 songs including song cycles and two completed operas: Glory Denied (2007) and After Life (2014). A review in the New York Times describes his vocal writings as, “angular and declamatory at times, but he has a keen sense of when to let the modernist approach melt into glowing melody, and he has an even keener ear for orchestral color.” Mostly tonal in style, Cipullo’s compositions occasionally An award-winning and critically acclaimed classical composer, he transition into bitonality and dissonant passages. is the winner of a 2012 Guggenheim Fellowship, the 2013 Sylvia Cipullo earned his Master’s Degree from Boston University and Goldstein Award from Copland House, and the 2013 Arts & Letters is one of the founding members of the Friends & Enemies of New Award from the American Academy. Most recently, Tom Cipullo Music, an organization that celebrates American Composers, fea - was awarded the 2018 Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition turing them in over 80 concerts to date. Prize for his forthcoming work, “Mayo.” LIBRETTO & BOOK THE LIBRETTO Composer Tom Cipullo crafted the libretto of the opera with his own adaptation of Tom Philpott’s 2001 book and oral history also entitled Glory Denied. Nearly all of the opera’s language comes from direct quotes of people involved in the history of the story along with exten - sive interviews with Colonel Thompson before his death in 2002. THE BOOK Glory Denied: The Saga of Jim Thompson, America’s Longest-Held Prisoner of War Journalist Tom Philpott’s publication includes: comments from friends, fellow soldiers and other POWs as well as intelligence briefings, service records and medical reports. An important recount of a portion of American history, Senator John McCain wrote the following foreword for the book: “Before Vietnam, the truth of war, of honor and courage, was obscure to many of us. Like Jim Thompson, I learned the truth in war. Like Jim, I discovered in Vietnam that faith in myself proved to be the least formidable strength I possessed when con - fronting organized inhumanity on a greater scale than I conceived possible. In prison, I learned that faith in myself alone was ultimately no match for the cruelty that human beings could devise when they were unencumbered by respect for the God-given dignity of man. This is the lesson many Americans, including Jim, learned in prison. It is, perhaps, the most important lesson we have ever learned. Jim Thompson kept the faith. This is his story.” ABOUT THE SUBJECT A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF COLONEL FLOYD JAMES THOMPSON Floyd James Thompson was born in dynamic eventually led to Bergenfield, New Jersey, on July 8, 1933. As divorce. a young adult, he decided to make the mili - Thompson was a highly tary the focus of his life and career after decorated man at the time of being drafted by the United States Army on his retirement and was pro - June 14, 1956. moted to full colonel. He He completed Officer Candidate School received the Distinguished and was stationed at Fort Bragg. There he Service Medal in appreciation was recruited into the Army Special Forces for his 25 years of service to his as a Green Beret. country as an Army officer. It is said that Captain Thompson was Shortly before retirement, Jim unfamiliar with the country of Vietnam suffered a stroke; his friend until he was deployed there in December and lawyer Michael C o r 1963.