Anniversary
As the single scene of this opera opens, Claire is waiting alone in a cafe reminiscing about a brief and passionate affair with Michael. In a particularly gripping moment of their passion, they made a vow to meet up again at the cafe where they first met—no matter how things turned out between them. Claire is here to keep the date, but will Michael? Her thoughts take a dark and surreal turn, imagining that he's dead and his ghost keeps the date. A strange interaction with a waiter leaves her wondering if Michael's otherworldly appearance wasn't just in her head and if she should come back next year.
Characters:
Claire, soprano (or mezzo-soprano)
Micheal, baritone
waiter, speaking role
Duration: 12 minutes
Piano score available now. Score and parts for chamber ensemble accompaniment (flute doubling clarinet, vibraphone, harp, piano, violins 1 and 2, viola, cello and bass) available late 2007.
Anniversary is one of a trilogy of three short operas, each exploring, in a different way, the theme of loss. The other two are Looking Back and The Painter. Each stands on its own or they can be performed as a triptych in this order: Anniversary, The Painter, Looking Back.
Photo: Alayne Faraone and Derrick Ballard in Anniversary; photo by Melissa Ulto