space used by the dancers. A variety of projected images appear at the rear. The choreography expresses the general content of the material and also presents the action of each parable, joined at times by the soloists. The parables, particularly Job and Ibrahim and Ismail/Abraham and Isaac, present some of the most extreme demands of their traditions . Interjections from the soloists frequently challenge the ideas being presented. In the end no solution is offered but a challenge is issued: must be stripped of triumph. “Faith Belief must not defeat belief. When faith is stripped of triumph We will hear the God of Others speak.” In the final ensemble all the forces join in an open-ended acknowledgment that: eye has seen, no ear has heard “No What waits for us Since the beginning of time Lord For no eye has seen What waits for us What waits.” Librettist Herschel Garfein has drawn his texts from writings of all three traditions, and they are delivered both in English and in the original languages. As in Robert Elmer Gantry, Aldridge’s music is dramatic and powerful and makes full use of the capabilities of his large forces. The professional soloists sing expressively and the augmented University of Minnesota chorus not only sings with rich tone and fine diction, but performs the entire complex multilingual choral part from memory–very impressive! The orchestra under Kathy Saltzman Romey is equally fine and the good sound and vivid video presentation do full justice to an impressive and challenging work. SOME AMERICAN OPERAS ON DVD In conjunction with the original Florentine Opera production of I reviewed Elmer Gantry recordings of several other American operas, which are also based on novels. My updated discussions of Gershwin’s Adamo’s and Gordon’s Porgy and Bess, Little Women, The Grapes of are available at www.florentineopera.org, as are my discussions of recordings of the Wrath operas of Carlisle Floyd, whose was presented by Florentine Opera in Wuthering Heights January. features two central characters, who are, for better or worse, charismatic, as Gantry have numerous operas throughout the history of the form. My comments on DVD versions of three such American operas are available in the full-length version of this article on the Florentine website. The operas discussed there are by John Adams, Doctor Atomic Moby-Dick by Jake Heggie and by Jack Beeson. Lizzie Borden
space used by the dancers. A variety of projected images appear at the rear. The choreography expresses the general content of the material and also presents the action of each parable, joined at times by the soloists. The parables, particularly Job and Ibrahim and Ismail/Abraham and Isaac, present some of the most extreme demands of their traditions . Interjections from the soloists frequently challenge the ideas being presented. In the end no solution is offered but a challenge is issued: “Faith must be stripped of triumph. Belief must not defeat belief. When faith is stripped of triumph We will hear the God of Others speak.” In the final ensemble all the forces join in an open-ended acknowledgment that: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard What waits for us Since the beginning of time Lord For no eye has seen What waits for us What waits.” Librettist Herschel Garfein has drawn his texts from writings of all three traditions, and they are delivered both in English and in the original languages. As in Elmer Gantry, Robert Aldridge’s music is dramatic and powerful and makes full use of the capabilities of his large forces. The professional soloists sing expressively and the augmented University of Minnesota chorus not only sings with rich tone and fine diction, but performs the entire complex multilingual choral part from memory–very impressive! The orchestra under Kathy Saltzman Romey is equally fine and the good sound and vivid video presentation do full justice to an impressive and challenging work. SOME AMERICAN OPERAS ON DVD In conjunction with the original Florentine Opera production of Elmer Gantry I reviewed recordings of several other American operas, which are also based on novels. My updated discussions of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Adamo’s Little Women, and Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath are available at www.florentineopera.org, as are my discussions of recordings of the operas of Carlisle Floyd, whose Wuthering Heights was presented by Florentine Opera in January. Gantry features two central characters, who are, for better or worse, charismatic, as have numerous operas throughout the history of the form. My comments on DVD versions of three such American operas are available in the full-length version of this article on the Florentine website. The operas discussed there are Doctor Atomic by John Adams, Moby-Dick by Jake Heggie and Lizzie Borden by Jack Beeson.