By Leonard Bernstein
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A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers by Leonard Bernstein Friday, October 26, 2018 at 7:30 pm New Psalmist Baptist Church A Good evening, and welcome to this very special performance of Leonard Bernstein’s LETTER MASS, a theatrical and musical spectacle unlike anything else. MASS needs to be seen as well as heard to be fully experienced, and opportunities to do so are relatively rare given the scale and task in mounting the work. So all the more important that we are here together this evening to share this experience. Through an eclectic score FROM influenced by rock, jazz, gospel, and other musical styles, MASS explores challenging issues of peace and conflict, truth and faith, and the individual’s place in society. I was THE fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the work live again this summer, and was struck once again by its power, its timeliness, and in particular, its relevance to the DEAN social issues of today. My first direct experience with MASS was in presenting it at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in November 2003, on the 40th anniversary of the November 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. For that auspicious occasion, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy wrote a letter supporting the performance which I read from the stage that evening. In it, Senator Kennedy said, “Bernstein’s extraordinary MASS was first performed at the opening of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in our nation’s Capital. It was commissioned to celebrate my brother’s life and legacy. Its message is hope, and the impact a single life can have for the good of others. President Kennedy believed that ‘One person can make a difference and that each of us should try.’ His greatest legacy is those people he inspired to enter public service and to recognize the nobility in serving our fellow citizens here and around the world. All who have ever extended the hand of friendship and assistance to another have contributed hope to our world. It is fitting that this should be the message of this most poignant evening.” Some 15 years later, Senator Kennedy’s letter rings true, as do President Kennedy’s words, perhaps now more than ever. I hope you enjoy MASS and take away something very special this evening. — Fred Bronstein Dean, Peabody Institute Leonard Bernstein — known to the world as a composer, conductor, teacher, author, television star, provocateur, and humanitarian — was my hero. A visionary artist who NOTE believed deeply in the power of music, he took me under his wing and imparted to me the heart and soul of his craft. As with all true mentors, Bernstein taught me much more than a craft. He showed me — and the world — that classical music is a powerful force that can transform lives as well as inspire and move people. He lived by those principles. CONDUCTOR’S His epic MASS is perhaps his greatest embodiment of those principles. Written for the opening of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and to commemorate America’s first Catholic president, it takes the Roman Catholic Mass as a framework to house a piece about individuality, tolerance, peace, conflict, self-doubt, self-awareness, and so much more! An entirely unique piece in content, structure, scope and message, the MASS contains the essence of Bernstein as a complex man and artist, and a nimble composer, moving comfortably between high art and popular vernacular. He did this long before crossover became trendy. The scoring epitomizes his agility and eclecticism as a composer: in addition to orchestra and electric guitars, MASS contains a children’s chorus, adult chorus, a marching band, a rock band, pop singers, and even dancers. The work embraces a range of genres from musical theater and opera, to rock ballads and blues, with a libretto that mixes Hebrew and Latin texts. With all of that going on, MASS is a piece that embraces and unites, bringing together hundreds of performers of all ages and backgrounds, to work together toward a common goal. For music students it is not only a journey about the musical piece, but also a journey with a moral. Bernstein wanted all young people to feel the transformational power of music and use that power to make important statements in our world. For that reason, I am especially proud to conduct this defining work with the Peabody Institute and our many community partners in celebration of what would have been Bernstein’s 100th birthday year. Ultimately, MASS is a reflection of Leonard Bernstein’s deep faith in the goodness of humankind and his belief in our extraordinary potential when we join together in unity, as vital and relevant today as it was at its 1971 premiere. Thank you for joining us this evening. — Marin Alsop Conductor 2 We live in a fractured time. Not since the Civil Rights movement, or the Civil War, has DIRECTOR’S there been such a chasm between ideas on how we move forward as a people. In some ways, perhaps, the current situation is worse. In the darkest days of the above plights, we always had an entity, an institution, to turn to for solace, for truth. Whether it was the church, or the judicial system, or the free press, or the scientific truths revealed NOTE with regularity, there was something, or someplace, for resting our souls, knowing that foundation was there. Today, every one of these places is being called into question. Molestation charges, conspiracy, and financial malfeasance roil every church. DNA exonerations and proof of prosecutorial collusion and misconduct are waking us up to the truth in the judicial system. We can’t trust truths we read on the internet for fear it was written by Russian bots, and our President and others dismiss the rest as Fake News. Scientific fact is dismissed as partisan. The food we eat is killing us. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We see so many Freddie Grays, LaQuan McDonalds, and Michael Browns we can’t help but conclude the whole process is corrupt. This is the backdrop before which we present tonight’s production. It is strikingly similar to the backdrop Bernstein had when he wrote MASS in 1970. Civil Rights, Vietnam, social unrest, sexual liberation — all were weighing on his mind and colored the composition. Many different musical styles, musical genres, instruments, hordes of performers — these all are representations of the many different forms of unrest at the time and are easily transferred to the unrest we see today. Bernstein’s answer — that by looking to each other on a personal level, and revealing and opening ourselves up to the better angels of our nature, we can form new institutions, new congregations, that can be places of rest and healing — can at least be part of the solution. This country went through so much pain, so much animosity, so much bloodshed, during the Civil War and the fight for Civil Rights. Let us all pray that we can come together as a people, find ways to celebrate our commonalities, and accept our differences before our current fracture sparks similar brutalities, and we lose ourselves completely. — Samuel Mungo Director 3 The Peabody Opera Theatre Samuel Mungo, Managing Director presents MASS A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers by Leonard Bernstein Libretto from the liturgy of the Roman Mass with additional texts by Stephen Schwartz and the composer New Psalmist Baptist Church Friday, October 26, 2018 at 7:30 pm Marin Alsop Leslie Stifelman Samuel Mungo danah bella Conductor Music Supervisor Director Choreographer Curtis Bannister Georgia Pickard Hayden Spitzer Tenor/Celebrant Acolyte Acolyte The Street Singers | Eileen Cornett, music director Charlotte Bagwell, Rahzé Cheatham, Kevin Paton-Cole, Jasper Cox, Madilyn Crossland, Emma Dickinson, Ricardo Garcia, Jared Hancock, Christopher Hartung, Henry Hubbard, HaYoung Jung, Savannah McElhaney, Colleen McGonigle, Randa Melhem, Shaul Leket-Mor, Emma Nicholson, Arianna Rodriguez, Daniel Sampson, Brianna Samuels, Garrett Sanderson, Joshua Scheid, Maria Servodidio, Lorenzo Zapata Peabody Opera Theatre Orchestra | Joseph Young, Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Artistic Director of Ensembles Peabody Conservatory Dancers | danah bella, chair Peabody Children’s Chorus | Doreen Falby, director Morgan State University Choir | Eric Conway, director Peabody-Hopkins Chorus | Edward Polochick, director of choral activities Peabody Singers | Edward Polochick, director of choral activities Baltimore City College High School Choir | Marcus D. Smith, director Baltimore School for the Arts Chamber Chorus | Mark Hardy, director Community Chorus of Peabody | Kristen Toedtman, director Johns Hopkins Concert Choir | Mark Hardy, director New Psalmist Baptist Church Choral Ensemble | Tamba Giles, director of Worship and the Arts; James D. Alston, minister of music Peabody Preparatory Wind Orchestra | Elijah Wirth, director Peabody Opera Chorus | Edson Piza, director By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., Sole Agent for Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing LLC, publisher and copyright owner. 4 I. Devotions before Mass MUSICAL Antiphon: Kyrie eleison Hymn and Psalm: “A Simple Song” Responsory: Alleluia SELECTIONS II. First Introit (Rondo) Prefatory Prayers (“Kyrie Rondo”) Thrice-Triple Canon: Dominus vobiscum III. Second Introit In nomine Patris Prayer for the Congregation (Chorale: “Almighty Father”) Epiphany IV. Confession Confiteor Trope: “I Don’t Know” Trope: “Easy” V. Meditation No. 1 VI. Gloria Gloria tibi Gloria in excelsis Deo Trope: “Half of the People” Trope: “Thank You” VII. Meditation No. 2 VIII. Epistle: “The Word of the Lord” IX. Gospel-Sermon: “God Said” X. Credo Credo in unum Deum Trope: “Non Credo” Trope: “Hurry” Trope: “World without End” Trope: “I Believe in God” XI. Meditation No. 3: De profundis, part 1 XII. Offertory: De profundis, part 2 XIII. The Lord’s Prayer Our Father … Trope: “I Go On” XIV.