About the composition process, from Carol: “We first thought about the idea of personal letters or journal entries, but that somehow morphed into looking at existing opera characters and potential fun with backstories. The text came from trying to imagine “lost scenes” originally as maybe letters or texts generated by AI but that took another turn took and we all ended up with very different ideas that we all developed ourselves…because the AI was just…terrible. Duh.

I really identified with the struggle of trying to conform to a certain standard, and Musetta’s story became a more personal exploration for me, which, while it ultimately made it more difficult to write my way through it, I feel like it represents feelings and emotions that many folx can identify with.”

• Brünnhilde in the Flames by Graham Yates, sung by Julia Watkins-Davis

  • What you should know, from Graham: “The song was originally a sarcastic take on the apocalypse featuring three Valkyrie sisters as social media influencers who pull the plug on their positivity-obsessed fans. But as I reacquainted myself with the Ring Cycle’s Valkyries, I ended up more interested in Brünnhilde’s personal experience. The song begins by quoting her last line from Götterdämmerung before she leaps onto Siegfried’s funeral pyre. But whereas in that opera the action then pans away, my song’s lens stays on her until the bitter end. What can I say? I’m in the throes of my own midlife crisis.

    Reflecting on Brünnhilde’s act, I can’t decide whether it was in protest over the personal abuses she experienced, or a messianic sacrifice. Does she just want to watch the world burn, or is she destroying a corrupt regime to make room for a new, hopefully better world? I feel the appropriate art-critical response to this dialectic is, ¿Porque no los dos?

    Although my insights may not be ground-breaking, I am reminded that fearlessly exploring obvious human motivations is not a bug but a feature of opera. I have enjoyed the gruesome process of putting myself in Brünnhilde’s headpiece – I mean headspace – as she gets to tell a little more of her story.”

• Musetta’s Lost Scena by Carol Brown, sung by Carol Brown

  • What you should know, from Carol: “This aria was inspired by one of the most well-known secondary characters in one of the world’s most beloved operas, Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme. She is known for her flirtatious, free spirit and fiery personality, and is often described as superficial and hot-tempered, which is frequently pointed out by her jealous on-again, off-again lover Marcello.

    I wanted to explore what might have led Musetta to her current life, why she looks for security in men, is afraid to commit, and ultimately walls off her true feelings to protect herself. Fiery and flirtatious seem like substitutes for “too much,” a phrase that many women have heard often for just being authentic and honest. We do see growth from Musetta throughout the opera, and the lovers return to each other eventually, but is it forever? What has led her to that growth? What insecurities has she faced to be a stronger version of herself? And what does the future hold for her?

    The scene: Musetta is returning to her apartment after a chaotic scene on the streets of Paris where Marcello has attempted to woo her back from her current suitor, Alcindoro. Though Marcello’s words, sweetened with wine, have had an effect on her, Musetta questions his behavior and ultimately her own, which leads her to reflect on her past and the circumstances that have led her to this moment. All she wants is to be able to trust Marcello, but she wonders if he can love her unconditionally, and most importantly if she can ever trust and love someone unconditionally herself…if she doesn’t truly love herself, how can she honestly love another?”

     

• Queen of the Morning After by Ben Tibbetts, sung by Elise Leung Kotara

  • In The Magic Flute, the Queen hates Sarastro. I mean, she really hates him. It’s like they have some sort of history together…I wonder what happened? This aria is ridiculous, but the idea made me laugh and I couldn’t let it go. Sorry, not sorry.

    Is there a little social commentary here about men and women? Maybe, but that wasn’t what I was thinking about.

    Here’s the thing: making music is fun. Writing this silly song–diving into Mozart’s counterpoint and style, trying to make something he himself might have actually appreciated–it was all super fun. And it was a pleasure to work on this project with Carol and Graham, not least because it was another excuse to enjoy their company. I hope you have fun too.

With Pianist Benjamin Dia
OOO Founder/Director Julie Fiore

Graham, Carol, and Ben are all part of CTC Music Publishing. Check out their other works here!