THE ETUDE Presser. In tune with the times since 1883. E SIV LU XC E RICKY IAN GORDON REVEALS ALL "I spun my grief into a body of work." In his works you see it all. The Grapes of Wrath 27 Morning Star y h The House p a r g Without o t o h a Christmas Tree P n n a h o J The Tibetan n a s Book u S © of the Dead and the WORLD PREMIERE of Ellen West IF THE MUSIC OF RICKY IAN GORDON HAD TO BE DEFINED BY A SINGLE QUALITY, IT WOULD BE THE BURSTING EFFERVESCENCE IN FUSING SONGS THAT BLITHELY BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN ART SONG AND THE HIGH-END BROADWAY MUSIC OF LEONARD BERNSTEIN AND STEPHEN SONDHEIM… IT’S CAVIAR FOR A WORLD GORGING ON PIZZA. —Stephen Holden, The New York Times— INSIDE SCOOP WITH RICKY IAN GORDON Prior to his 2018 commencement address at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance, Ricky Ian Gordon confided in his therapist the malaise of being asked to impart his wisdom upon future generations of artists: “What do I have to impart? Who am I?” he wondered. To those who have since heard the commencement address on YouTube, it is obvious that Gordon, if anything, is nothing but self-aware. He recounts the time in his life after high school in which he, “ran vigorously toward an uncertain future, lit by a desire for fame and a diffuse and undisciplined talent... [but instead] succumbed to a life of dissolution, going from one low self-esteem job to another, drinking too much, taking too many drugs, and having indiscriminate sex." Continually jockeying for position, overly aware of the impression he was making, driven by ambition and envy, the artifices of Gordon's life crumbled in the 80's. Then followed the tragic loss of his partner, Jeffrey: decimation. It was at this moment that he decided to take up the "job" of letting others see through him, in his music. "Piece after piece I spun my grief into a body of work and I wove in my sexuality, and my addictions, and my obsession with foreign films, and my friendships, and my hatreds, and my loves, and my ambivalences, and my all-consuming adoration for the human voice, and my need for poetry. Poetry, all there. There in the notes. There in the words. A body of work." You can view Gordon's full commencement address at www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyjkSh2WJHk 3 A N O P E R A I N T W O A C T S T H E G R A P E S O F W R A T H The great America opera. –Wes Blomster, Musical America You couldn’t ask for a more comfortably appointed evening of vintage musical Americana. Yet, with a slyness worthy of Weill, Gordon wields his hummable tunes to critical effect. –Alex Ross, The New Yorker Gordon’s lyrical gift shines through every page of the score. … No wonder audiences erupt in cheers at the end. –John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Premiered by the Minnesota Opera in 2007 and performed since then by the C I Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, numerous music P E schools, and in concert at Carnegie Hall with Jane Fonda narrating, The Grapes of N Wrath is an American epic now available in four configurations to match the size A of any performing ensemble. Masterfully adapted by librettist Michael Korie from C I John Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath was R E named “the great American opera” by Musical America, and Los Angeles Times M critic Mark Swed wrote that: “…the greatest glory of the opera is Gordon’s A ability to musically flesh out the entire 11-member Joad clan…Gordon’s other N great achievement is to merge Broadway and opera… greatly enhanced by his A firm control over ensembles and his sheer love for the operatic voice.” Libretto by: Michael Korie Duration: Opera in 2 Acts – 160 min. Voices: 13 principal singing roles – Sop. 2Mezzo-sop. 3Ten. 4Bar. Bass-bar. Boy Sop. Girl Sop.; 5 featured singers (doubling various roles): Sop. Mezzo-sop. Ten. Bar., Bass; Chorus: SATB (div.) Instrumentation: 2(2nd dbl. Picc.) 2(2nd dbl. E.H.) 2(1st db. Eb Cl.; 2nd dbl. B.Cl.) 2(2nd dbl. Cbsn.) A.Sax.(dbl. S.Sax, Bar.Sax.) - 2 2 3(B.Tbn.) 0; Timp. 2Perc. Hp. Pno.(dbl. Cel.) Guit.(dbl. Banjo) Str. Commission: Two-act version commissioned by the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Perusal Score: Available by request or online at presser.com/23632 Piano/Vocal Score: Available for purchase at presser.com/VS5 Rental: Four versions available for rental: Opera in Two Acts | Opera in Three Acts | Concert Version | Suite for Orchestra and Chorus 5 A N O P E R A I N F I V E A C T S 2 7 A hit is a hit is a hit…a taut, witty and affecting new piece of lyric theatre. –James Sohre, Opera Today …a playful, quick-witted libretto that pushed Mr. Gordon beyond his trademark melodies into a brighter, friskier style. –Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal "27" is a triumph for Gordon and Vavrek and a tour-de-force for all of the performers. N –Bruce-Michael Gelbert, Q On Stage I E T S 27 follows the lives of Gertrude Stein and her wife Alice B. Toklas as they host E legendary salons at 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris, entertaining such illustrious D guests as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Man Ray, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott U R Fitzgerald. The opera sees them as they live through two world wars and grapple T with the changes that only war, and the passing of time, can bring. R E G Libretto by: Royce Vavrek F O Duration: 95 minutes T I A R Voices: Mezzo-soprano, 4 supporting singers (Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass- T Baritone, singing a variety of roles) R O P Instrumentation: 2(2nd dbl. Picc.) 2(2nd dbl. E.H.) 2 2(2nd dbl. Cbsn.) AltoSax. – A 2 2 2(2nd dbl. B. Tbn.) 0; Timp. 2Perc. Hp. Pno. Str. (6.4.4.3.2) Optional Chorus. Premiere: June 14, 17, 19, 25, 27, and 29, 2014. Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Stephanie Blythe, mezzo-soprano; St. Louis, MO. Commission: Commissioned by Opera Theatre of St. Louis Perusal Score and Rental Information: Available by request or online at presser.com/23403 Piano/Vocal Score: Available for purchase at presser.com/411-41142 7 A N O P E R A I N T W O A C T S M O R N I N G S T A R Chicago-born opera "Morning Star' shines powerfully. –John Von Rhein, Chicago Tribune "Morning Star" is a rich, complex work likely to repay repeated hearings, but a single encounter can justify only the most general observations...Gordon sets text beautifully, moving seamlessly from a conversational style shaped by the words to more lyrical passages that reveal the feelings underlying those words. –Joe Law, Opera News Y Based on Sylvia Regan’s play and on parallels with the composer’s own R O family, Morning Star is a deeply touching character piece about life among T Jewish immigrants in New York City’s Lower East Side. Hope blossoms and is S - dashed as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911, World War I, and the T N Great Depression lead to death, divorce, and despair. Through it all, William M. A Hoffman’s colorful libretto and Ricky Ian Gordon’s engaging score maintain R G charming threads of love and optimism, comedy amid tragedy, and luscious I sonorities featuring a large cast of singers – in English, Yiddish, Italian, and M M Haitian French. I N A Libretto by: William M. Hoffman C I R Duration: 150 minutes E M A Voices: 4 Soprano, 3 Mezzo-soprano, 3 Tenor, 2 Baritone, 1 Bass-Baritone, 1 Boy N (13 yrs. old, 1 spoken roles) A Instrumentation: 2(2 dbl. Picc.) 1(dbl. E.H.) 3(3=B.Cl., dbl. Cl.) - 2 2 2(B.Tbn.) 0; Timp. 2Perc. Pno/Cel. Str. (6.5.4.3.2) Optional Chorus. Premiere: June 2015; Cincinnati Opera; First Workshop, 2002, Lyric Opera Of Chicago Opera Studio, Chicago, IL; Second Workshop, 2012/2015 Opera Fusion, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Commission: Commissioned by the Cincinnati Opera Perusal Score and Rental Information: Available by request or online at presser.com/23514 Piano/Vocal Score: Available for purchase at presser.com/411-41145 9 A N O P E R A I N O N E A C T T H E H O U S E W I T H O U T A C H R I S T M A S T R E E …[a] soul-warming recipe of mittens, snowball fights, caroling, secret Santa gift exchanges, friends, family, and love…just the thing, really, to usher in cheer. …[Vavrek’s] libretto is simple and straightforward…the unguarded style soars in Gordon’s arias… –Sydney Boyd, Houstonia Magazine Gordon’s melodic, tonal score…fall[s] easily on the ears, often bringing to mind E the late operas of Richard Strauss in its naturalistic setting of Vavrek’s T I dialogue… The pleasing score, congenial vocal demands and modest scale of R “The House Without a Christmas Tree” give it a good shot at achieving staying O V power, attractive to professional opera companies of all sizes and to A conservatories and universities.