SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS sunrise a song of two humans SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020 AT 7 PM WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL GRANT GERSHON Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE ORCHESTRA GRANT GERSHON, conductor HOLLY SEDILLOS, soprano SUZANNE WATERS, soprano DERMOT KIERNAN, tenor SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS JEFF BEAL (B. 1963) Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (World Premiere) . Jeff Beal I. Creation II. Summertime III. Seduction IV. The Seal V. Where Has He Gone? VI. The Boat Ride VII. The Trolley VIII. The Café IX. The Church X. The Barbershop XI. The Photo Studio XII. La Cité XIII. The Peasant Dance XIV. The Drink XV. The Storm XVI. The Search XVII. Muses XVIII. Sunrise This program is made possible with generous support from donors to the Artistic Innovation Fund: Leeba R. Lessin, Philip A. Swan, and Priscilla and Curtis Tamkin; the National Endowment for the Arts; and Paul Lazarus and Kitty McNamee. P2 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS Libretto by Joan Beal I. Creation III. Seduction (from Hesiod’s Theogony, (from Song of Solomon, Chapters 2 and 5) translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, 1914) Open, drink your fill Sing now, sing muses, tell the tale We who hold the highest mount I have taken off my robe dance on soft feet. Must I put it on? These things declare to me Open, drink your fill. Tell how at first gods and earth came to be Beloved, I await. And the gleaming stars, gloomy night I have washed my feet, Sing now, sing muses, tell the tale Must I soil them? Shepherds of wilderness, things of shame Open, for my beloved. Speak false things as though they were true Drink your fill of love. Sing of themselves, both first and last I looked for him, but could not find him, boundless, mortal I called him, he did not answer. From starry heaven and gloomy night, Beloved, answer from starry heaven and gloomy night Hear me. Sing now, sing muses, tell the tale His arms are rods of gold set with topaz. Tell how at first earth came to be Oh my dove, show your face. Sometimes bitter His legs are pillars of marble Sometimes sweet. set on bases of pure gold. Oh my dove, show me your face II. Summertime Let me hear your voice. (from Song of Solomon, Chapter 2) Come drink your fill, beloved one. Arise my darling Come. Come be with me Come my love, Arise my darling Show your face. come, come, come here Catch for us Flowers appear on earth, Catch they that run, Catch the foxes, See how the winter is past, Rains are over and gone They ruin vineyards. Come, come with me For my love is mine Oh, my dove And I am his Show your face. He is mine and I am his. Show me your face, Our vineyard was in bloom. Let me hear your voice Foxes ruin, foxes ruin Catch for us the little foxes, They that ruin all our vineyards. My beloved is mine. LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS IV. The Seal V. Where Has He Gone? (Song of Solomon, Chapter 8) (Song of Solomon, Chapter 6) Place me Where has your beloved gone? Over your heart Which way did he turn? Place me, like a seal My beloved. Over your heart For love is strong as death. Where has your beloved gone? Which way did your love, your beloved, turn? It burns like fire. Where did he turn? Place me, like a seal, Oh, my beloved over your heart, He has gone down to the garden. Drink your fill of love You are a garden, locked up. I am, I am Starry heaven, She is mine, is mine. Gloomy night Sing muses. Until day breaks Many waters cannot quench love And shadows flee Boundless, mortal Turn, my beloved. It burns like blazing fire Tell me who, Mighty flame Tell me you It burns like fire, Who my soul loves. Like a mighty flame As strong as death. Tell me where you may lie. Lie here, lie down. Place me like a seal Do not gaze at me. Over your heart It burns like a flame Turn, my beloved. Turn your eyes from me. Many waters cannot quench love It burns like a blazing fire Arise darling, Many waters cannot Come be with me. Quench love. Shadows flee Drink your fill Of love. Draw me now after you, Let us run. Sing now, sweet muses, Speaking false things as though true. LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS VI. The Boat Ride IX. The Church “Schliesse mir die Augen beide” by Theodor Storm (1817–1888) Original text by Joan Beal and reprise of Hesiod’s Theogony Schliesse mir die Augen beide Beloved, mit den lieben Händen zu! We gather, heavy laden Geht doch alles, was ich leide, Tossed by endless sea. unter deiner Hand zur Ruh. In the presence, boundless, mortal, Und wie leise sich der Schmerz Finally set free. Well’ um Welle schlafen leget, wie der letzte Schlag sich reget, Lashed together, füllest du mein ganzes Herz. Hold fast. Let go. English translation: Hold fast. Close both my eyes with your beloved hands! Sing now, Let all my suffering Sing muses, tell the tale. gain rest beneath your hand. We who hold the highest mount And as gently the pain dance on soft feet. wave upon wave lies in sleep, As the last blow falls These things declare to me you fill my whole heart. Tell how at first gods and earth came to be And the gleaming stars, gloomy night VII. The Trolley Sing now, sing muses, tell the tale Lines of text selected from “Toward the Piraeus” by Hilda Doolittle (aka HD) (1886–1961) Shepherds of wilderness, things of shame Speak false things as though they were true Slay with your eyes, men Sing of themselves, both first and last over the earth. boundless, mortal Break, as ranks of steel Now we would count them gods. Giver of good things Born of earth Men made you a god, Sunlight and gloomy night And claimed me set apart Great and wretched, Apart from the rest. Born of earth. You would have broken my wings A seal on my bitter heart X. The Barbershop Broke and fluttered Lines of text selected from “Toward the Piraeus” Bound and caught by Hilda Doolittle (aka HD) Whoosh VIII. The Café Shine Lines of text selected from “Toward the Piraeus” by Hilda Doolittle (aka HD) A new you. A brand new you. Though my knees tremble, My heart breaks. Snared me, Possess My hands, my hands Scattered my nest Are cold You would have snared me You would have broken my wings Grant us one mantel You would have snared me To strike men Craven and weak. May not turn or move Must wait and watch Grant us but one To frighten You would have broken my wings. Grant us but one To strike. To fright as your eyes With a sword. Men made you a god. Set me apart. LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS XI. The Photo Studio Original text by Joan Beal; Song of Solomon Balla, bella, balla (Dance, beautiful one, dance) Darling, come be with me My dove, show me your face Flowers appear on earth. Let me hear your sweet voice Balla, bella, balla. See how winter is passed, Rain is over and gone Balla, bella, balla, Come and be with me My dove show your face Darling let me see you. Let me hear your sweet voice. Little one. My dove show me your face. Balla, bella, balla See how winter is passed Rain is over and gone Balla, bella, balla. Ah, my beloved is mine It burns like a blazing fire A flame. XII. La Cité Text by Joan Beal La cité lumière, The city of light Écoutez Listen La cité nouveau The new city Écoutez Listen L’étranger The stranger Écoutez, l’étranger, Listen, the stranger La cité reveiller The city wakes up Liebe, komm Lover, come, Tanz mit mir. Dance with me Liebe, Liebe Lover, lover Warum why Tanzen wir? Do we dance? Mein Liebe, My love, Tanz mit mir. Dance with me. Wo sind Sie? Where are you? Wohin gehst Du? Where are you going? Wohin gehen Sie? Where are you going? Ich bin hier, I am here, Tanz mit mir! Dance with me! Liebchen, Liebchen sweetheart, sweetheart Wohin gehst du? Where are you going? LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS Trinken wir Let’s drink Balla, bella, balla. Dance, beautiful one, dance Liebe Lover Deine, meine Schweine Yours, my pigs Liebe Lover Ich bin trunken I am drunk Mit mir with me Deine, meine Schweine Yours, my pigs Ich bin trunken I am drunk Mit der Wein. With the wine. Liebe, tanz mit mir! Lover, dance with me! Wein! Wine! Deine, meine Schweine Yours, my pigs Kleine Schwein little pig, Mehr Wein! More wine! Trinken wir. Let’s drink Du hast das Schwein gefangen. You have caught the pig! Danke, können wir trinken Thank you, we can drink Ich bin trunken I am drunk Mit der Liebe. With love. XIII. The Peasant Dance “Brüderlein, komm tanz mit mir” from Hansel und Gretel Text by Adelheid Wette (1858–1916) Einmal hin, ein mal her, One time there, one time here, komm tanz, tanz mit mir. Come dance, dance with me.