Voice and Instruments

We Are Innocent, op. 94

Published on

cantata on letters of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, 1987-88, 45’30”

for baritone (or tenor), soprano, and optional chorus, with piano or orchestra

in 12 movements, prelude & 2 interludes.

First complete performance by Helene Williams and Peter Schlosser,

with composer at piano, on “Meet the Composer” grant,

at Bryant Library, Roslyn 6/14/88;

also perf. at Museum of Fine Art (Roslyn)10/6/88,

Community Church of Boston, 12/11/88, WESPAC (Ardsley, NY) 12/22/88;

prem. with (Metropolitan Philharmonic) Chorus

at Community Church of NY 6/19/88

also perf. WQXR-AM, NY (“The Listening Room”) 12/8/88

#2, 1, 7 & 4 perf. at Weill Recital Hall benefit for Ezrath Nashim 6/14/89

and at Temple Sinai of Roslyn 8/20/89

prem. w/Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra:

Metropolitan Philharmonic Chorus & Orch, cond. by composer

[Associate Conductor: Bill Grossman]

Marymount Manhattan Theater 6/11/89;

video on YouTube as indicated below:

audio recording: OPUS ONE #145

other perfs w/Helene Williams, Ronald Edwards & Chor:

Plandome Unitarian Church 6/19/93;

w/Helene Williams, Gregory Mercer & Chor:

6/15/03 Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck NJ;

6/18/03 Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, Manhattan

Prelude

1) Childhood Memories (Julius)

2) The Shofar (Ethel [+Chorus])

3) Together (Julius & Ethel)

4) We Are Innocent (Julius & Ethel [+Chorus])

5) How Sad I Was To Leave You (Ethel) + Interlude

6) How Much You Have Given Me (Julius)

7) The Astounding Spectacle (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

7A) Interlude

8) A Visit From Mother (Ethel)

9) Of Course It Isn’t Easy (Julius)

10) “Mercy”?

11) On the Threshold of Death (Julius)

(Variations on a theme by Edith Segal, used by permission)

12) To Michael & Robert (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

New World, op. 102

Published on

subtitle: An Opera About What Columbus Did to the “Indians”

(100′) 55 numbers, in 1 or 2 acts;

commissioned by Puffin Foundation in honor of

50th anniversary of American Music Center

and Columbian Quincentennial;

libretto by composer & Joel Shatzky

(credit withdrawn at his request 11/30/92);

7 soloists, 2 rappers, pno, perc., 3 synthesizers

+opt. Chorus, Ballet, Tpt, Tb, Conchs.

Separable numbers:

#1 Kaytawari’s Monologue #2 Crew’s Entrance

#3 Columbus’s Aria #6 Nudity Chorus #9 Prayer

#11 Rodrigo #16 Isabella’s Bolero #17 Quartet (Act I)

#26 Guarionex #27 Yuisa #29 Kaytawari’s Vision

#30 George #32 Columbus-Isabella Duet #34 Quartet (Act II)

#37 De Torres #44 Rap Number #46 Tainos’ Mourning Chorus

partial performances:

#16 by Helene Williams at Golden Fleece Ltd. Composers’ Chamber Theater

Square One program @Theater 22, NYC 3/31/90;

#1, 3 by Ronald Edwards at

Union Theological Seminary CALC 25th anniversary 7/22/90

& WBAI 10/12/90;

#2, 6 chorus preview:

Second International Naturist Opera Workshop,

Belezy, France 7/90;

#16 at Third International Naturist Opera Workshop,

Belezy, France 7/92 and at

Haus der Kirche, Berlin 9/1/92

& Dresden Center for Contemporary Music 9/5/92;

#3, 16, 37, 32 LICA concert, Heckscher Park, Huntington 8/6/91

All of the above previewed on WQXR’s

“The Listening Room” 10/12/91 10pm;

Suite of excerpts broadcast on WBAI 10/14/91.

#11 sung by Ivan Thomas, broadcast on WBAI Arts Magazine 2/8/93

complete performances:

full concert premiere by After Dinner Opera Co.

(& Meet The Composer) @ Lincoln Center 10/12/91;

staged premiere co-sponsored by LICA, East End Arts Council

& NYFA S.O.S. Grant, Puffin Foundation

Hngtn & Suffolk County Arts Council,

Heckscher Park, Huntington 8/11/92;

N.Y. City staged premiere co-sponsored by

East End Arts Council-NYFA S.O.S. Grant

& Meet The Composer, Donnell Library 2/9/93;

Music received rave review from George Wallace in

Opera Monthly. Casts also included Mark Wolff,

Eugene Green, Elliott Z. Levine, Robert Ross,

Peter Ludwig, Shirley Perkins. Staged by Benjamin Spierman.

Production photos at

http://www.ljlehrman.artists-in-residence.com/NewWorld.html

Ma Adam (What Is Man?), op. 103

Published on

in Hebrew or in English, for tenor & organ

text from Psalms, translation by composer

for Cantor Charles Osborne 9/89

premiered by him & composer, Temple Emanuel, Newton MA

9/29/90 (Yom Kippur)

also performed by Gregory Mercer & composer,

Temple Judea, Manhasset, NY 4/3/03

Yedid Nefesh, op. 121 #2

Published on

“Beloved of the Soul” (6′)

arrangement of traditional prayer in Hebrew or English tr.

by composer; words & melody by R. Eliezer Azkiri (16th cent.)

for mezzo, clarinet & piano,

commissioned by Marion Capriotti, Fall 1994;

re-arranged by composer for soprano, violin & piano, 2010:

premiered by Helene Williams, Herbert Feldman & composer

Dec. 19, 2010 LICA concert, Plainview-Old Bethpage Library