A showcase of new music created by Really Spicy Opera’s September-October 2021 Aria Institute cohort.
Featuring works by: Joshua Brown, Ilima Considine, Jessica Grams, Helena Michelson, Jolie O’Dell, Monica Raymond, Laura Shamas.
Musical performances by: Maggie Burr, Christina Christensen, Jennifer LeDoux, Siena Forest, Ellie Harstad, Linh Kauffman, Yvonne Freese, and Elena Stabile, with Jean Van Heel (piano).
Includes the world premiere of the collaboratively written Eruption: An Opera of Volcanic Proportions, curated by Playwright-in-Residence Kate Robards in association with Tess Altiveros, Basil Considine, and Anne Wieben.
- 0:04 General Introduction (Tess Altiveros)
Showcase, Part 1 - 1:51 Intro to “Good Cape/Bad Cape” (Basil Considine)
- 3:10 Duet: “Good Cape/Bad Cape”, from Katzenmann vs. the Patriarchy (Music: Joshua Brown, Lyrics: Jessica Grams)
- Cat: Maggie Burr; Katzenmann: Christina Christensen
- 5:07 Intro to “Rubble and Dust” (Basil Considine)
- 6:03 “Rubble and Dust”, from Promised Land (Music: Helena Michelson, Lyrics: Monica Raymond)
- Vocalists: Christina Christensen, Siena Forest
- 9:42 Intro to “Big Dreams, Bright Eyes” (Basil Considine)
- 10:36 “Big Dreams, Bright Eyes”, from _Girls, Girls, Girls_ (Music: Ilima Considine, Lyrics: Jolie O’Dell)
- Vocalists: Christina Christensen, Siena Forest 13:26 Intro to “Blackout” (Basil Considine)
- 14:28 “Blackout”, from Cinema Suits (Music: Basil Considine, Lyrics: Laura Shamas)
- Vocalists: Maggie Burr, Yvonne Freese
- 17:26 Intro to “Did We Really See?” (Basil Considine)
- 19:07 “Did We Really See?”, from Heartland (Music: Joshua Brown, Lyrics: Laura Shamas)
- Vocalists: Siena Forest, Elena Stabile
- 22:29 Intro to “Girls Who Code” (Basil Considine)
- 25:15 “Girls Who Code”, from Silicon Dreams (Music: Helena Michelson, Lyrics: Jolie O’Dell)
- Vocalists: Yvonne Freese, Elena Stabile
- Vocalists: Yvonne Freese, Elena Stabile
Showcase, Part 2: World Premiere of Eruption: An Opera of Volcanic Proportions, a collaboratively written opera
- 28:36 Intro to Eruption: An Opera of Volcanic Proportions (Kate Robards)
- 29:54 Aria: “On the Shores of Napoli” (Music and Lyrics: Basil Considine)
- Vocalist: Jennifer LeDoux
- 32:44 Trio: “We Finally Get to Spend Some Time with Our Grandkids” (Music: Joshua Brown, Lyrics: Monica Raymond)
- Vocalists: Maggie Burr, Christina Christensen, Ellie Harstad
- 36:53 Trio: “Safest Bet” (Music: Ilima Considine, Lyrics: Jessica Grams)
- Vocalists: Yvonne Freese, Ellie Harstad, Jennifer LeDoux
- 38:51 Duet: “The Wrong Sons” (Music: Basil Considine, Lyrics: Jolie O’Dell)
- Vocalists: Maggie Burr, Jennifer LeDoux
- 42:38 Trio: “Embrace” (Music: Helena Michelson, Lyrics: Laura Shamas)
- Vocalists: Yvonne Freese, Ellie Harstad, Jennifer LeDoux
- 47:26 Duet: “Isn’t This Romantic?” (Music and Lyrics: Basil Considine)
- Vocalists: Maggie Burr, Linh Kauffman
Recorded at Wild Sound Recording Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Really Spicy Opera is a Professional Company Member of Opera America, and a member of the Minnesota Theater Alliance and the Network of Ensemble Theaters.