572777 bk Corp 24/2/11 10:57 Page 12 The villagers gather into a procession to go to the Old We will bear her gently Woman’s house To her Father’s heavenly home. As they approach the Old Woman’s house The Spirits move down from the mountain and assemble around the Old Woman The Villagers: Priest: Ronald See a light shines in her window As the shadowed dusk draws in Before the ending of the day Falters in the evening’s stillness Creator of the world we pray Trembles in the whispering wind. That with thy wonted favour, thou CORP Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now. The Shepherd goes into the Old Woman’s house and finds her dead The Villagers: Shepherd/Shepherdess: From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies: The Ice Oh my sister Tread under foot our ghostly foe, You who with such patience kept That no pollution we may know. In lonely years your vigil long Mountain Taught us kindness and compassion All: Kept faith they would one day return Rest peacefully in Death’s long sleep We pray at the close of day United now with those who are gone. The pain of life fades away A gentle calm quiet falls The Villagers: In peace that lasts eternally New London In the silence of this lonely clearing When in despair I turn to you We light a flame remembering The Ever Faithful Ever true That our lives will pass My rock and guide throughout all strife Children’s Choir Like the traces of a cloud Eternal strength that gives us life. And be scattered like mist In the soft rain. Amen. Members of the They light candles Spirits of the Mountain: New London See a light shines out the darkness Orchestra Draws our weary spirits down To a woman whose great goodness Kept us from being all alone. Ronald Corp 8.572777 12 572777 bk Corp 24/2/11 10:57 Page 2 Ronald Like this Each fragile leaf born in the wind I keep you alive in myself Speaks to us of nature’s flux CORP I hold you within me These fading trees and falling leaves (b. 1951) Deep inside Will teach and caution us to live. Like a dream I draw you into The Ice Mountain The night, in my sleep. In twilight of the darkening sky A new opera for children In sigh and creak of empty boughs She repeats this to herself and falls asleep at her We trace the pattern of our days First performed in a production by Abigail Morris spindle. The Stage goes dark Which into black night – by and by – in March 2010 at St Michael’s Church, Hampstead Will draw away. Spirits of the Mountain: Libretto by Emma Hill The Hunter enters the village Out of the darkness – agitated and ominous Cast in order of appearance: Where is the light that drives out the darkness? Hunter: Father / Young Man . Fiona Brindle Hear us, hear us Sorrow follows my weary footsteps Boy . Alex Franklin Piteously crying Sadness weights my heavy pack Girl . Lara Cosmetatos For I have found those lost in the mountain Hunter . Shulamit Morris-Evans Darkness mirrors all that is within us Released where a crevice of ice has cracked. Only the light can bring us home Tracing a path I seldom take Priest . Peter Shafran On a route so ravaged few have passed Old Woman . Natasha Worsley Groping blindly in the shadows I came upon a tomb broke open Klaus . James Cameron We are abandoned Cold walls split to give them back. We are alone. They rest as if in sleep entwined Sylvoli . Poppy Zadek-Ewing Little changed in these long years Shepherd . Eleanor Burke Father and son who died together 4 ACT IV: AUTUMN Returned in the last light of a fading year. The Villagers, The Hunters, Spirits of the Mountain . Members of the New London Children’s Choir The Villagers: The Villagers: Members of the New London Orchestra A thin wind sounds Gently – gently A soft percussion in the trees. We will bear them Violin: Pauline Lowbury • Cello: Andrew Fuller We will bear them gently home Flute: Anna Noakes • Clarinet: David Fuest Red and yellowed leaves curl To the woman who has waited Horn: Corrine Bailey • Percussion: Nigel Shipway And on bare branches hang Half a life-time all alone. Trembling in the autumn breeze Piano: Alex Wells Where in summer sweet birds sang. Sorrow and joy Go round and around Chill gusts catch up the wing-ed seeds For those that were lost This recording was made possible by donations from a number of parents and Friends of the choir, And float them to their wintry beds Are those who are found. including Mia Cameron, Julie Carlin-Sasaki, Farbod Gorjian, Elaine Gosnell, Where cold and still they sleep Gilbert Hall, Caroline Hodes, Rosemary Karlsson and Robert Max. Till Spring’s breath stirs the earth again. 8.572777 2 11 8.572777 572777 bk Corp 24/2/11 10:57 Page 10 While I am / he is gone the summer long Old Woman: Ronald Corp (b. 1951) Tending to the cattle at pasture The Ice Mountain At night I will look to the far off stars Sister/Brother Remembering her / his eyes in their lustre. Though I am alone I am not lonely The commission for the children’s opera, The Ice previously and were never seen again. She lives alone, The birds and beasts come to cheer me Mountain was initiated by a generous donation from the mourning their loss, unable properly to grieve and find Klaus: From here I can see clearly Naef/Bertele Family, who were inspired by their Swiss peace, unable to take part in village life. She lives The awakening of the sun origins to propose the adaptation of a Swiss folk-legend. consumed by her memories and separate from the rest of The girl I love is my one true love The heavenly light transforms the ice The libretto for The Ice Mountain was adapted by the villagers. They take care of her, bringing her flax I long for the day when we can be Into a sight of golden radiance Emma Hill from the folk-tale entitled ‘Die alte Frau and linen for her to weave into cloth and clothes which Together as are the gentle turtle doves And in the dark of the night the stars und die Toten’ (‘The Old Woman and the Dead’). The they then take back to the village. In the dovecote of the tall pine tree. Shine brighter here than anywhere below. Ice Mountain is in four short acts, and incorporates The Old Woman in her half-life existence, lights a elements of Swiss folk-music as well as liturgical chant. candle every night which attracts the spirits of the Sylvoli: I cherish no illusions. The libretto makes reference to various poets including mountain. This enables these restless souls to find peace My place is here John Clare and Friedrich Hölderlin. Ronald Corp says of with her and they shelter with her, finding comfort and She flying – wings trembling Close to those who are lost. the work: ‘The tale is a haunting one and very poignant solace. He in grace to her I do not wait in vain – and I was drawn by the mystical element in the story; I The air after still humming Yet proximity to the glacier think my music for the opera reflects this’. Act II Flown now into night’s deepening. Assuages my pain. Synopsis Spring comes and the village comes to life. Birds are seen and heard and the winter darkness is banished. 3 ACT III: SUMMER Shepherd/Shepherdess: The Ice Mountain is a story of the cycle of life, of loss New life gushes forth, green leaves appear. The and how to come to terms with death. It is divided into villagers – the bakers, grocers, florists, dairy, A shepherd is bringing flax to the Old Woman to spin. Sister I plead with you – four acts, the four seasons, and this cyclical passage of dressmakers and tool-makers – all start to bring their The shepherd is the woman’s brother. They greet each Can I not entreat you? time reflects the work’s emotional journey. wares to market. The mood is optimistic; the village other warmly and sit down outside her house* square becomes a bustling hive of activity. Romance is Old Woman: Act I also in the air and two young lovers declare their love Shepherd/Shepherdess: for each other. A wedding ensues, with dancing which Sister/Brother Set in a village in Switzerland, the opera starts in winter. the spirits are condemned to watch but are unable to join Sister I know it is out of love that you ask me The village lies in the shadow of a mountain. The in with. You have lived too long alone And I thank you kindly mountain is feared by the villagers who hear the ice I have come to bring you home But you must leave me as you find me. cracking and worry there will be an avalanche. They Act III To warmth – to laughter gather together, huddled in terror, as they desperately To bless the marriage of my daughter In the Village – Wedding Music and Dancing – Dusk try and protect themselves from the gathering snow Summertime and there is a riot of colour as flower To join us in celebration of the future storm. They scream as snow descends from the petals enliven the village scene.