Overture - synthesized version

The first of these two versions of the Overture to my second opera, “Vengeance”, was recorded by musicians from an organization formerly called the American Musicians’ Association. The second was generated on my computer, prior to my possessing the funds necessary to hire live musicians. I include it here mainly because the violin part is clearer than it is in the live recording.

Download Overture score

The short but incredibly elaborate scene in this piece is the most visually dazzling of all the scenes in both the operas. After all, it is in this scene that we peek inside Heaven itself!

This piece technically starts on the ending bass drumbeat of “Home Suite”, at which point the full stage is very slowly illuminated (during the time it takes for said drumbeat to dissipate naturally). The combined effect lends an otherworldly feel, and the expectation of something profound to come.

What is slowly illuminated upon the stage is Jesus, standing alongside the spirit of the young woman. They are both clothed in white, and are positioned at the front of the stage, but facing away from us, and gazing upon the gates of Heaven.

There is eventually complete silence. Jesus turns toward the girl, grins, and extends His hand for her to take in trust. She slowly and timidly takes His hand. At the instant her hand touches His, Jesus grabs it powerfully and begins walking forward at a full, cheerful gait without warning, pulling her along slightly behind him as they both take large, fast steps forward.

Then, the gates of Heaven open, revealing a large and luxurious royal banquet hall and table, positively brimming with the most delectable foods, including the classical bunches of purple grapes hanging over the edges of golden containers and the like.

Dressed in dazzling clothing, yet somehow informally, and variously seated and standing around the banquet table, are the angels who made up the chorus of the prior song. They now resume their wordless song of praise and welcome, jubilantly and cordially greeting Jesus and his new guest. There are two empty seats at the table: a throne at the head, and a smaller chair next to and around the table’s corner from it.

This whole scene is breathtakingly beautiful. Once Jesus and she arrive at the table, the young woman looks around at the entire setting: the angels, the food, and just the full glory of it all. Completely overwhelmed, she turns from gazing upon the lavish scene, and looks instead at Jesus in pure awe. All the lights turn off upon the instant of the final note of the piece.

The opera is over, and the story is completed.

Download "Home" score

This piece has no action or lyrics, and is played and sung during total stage darkness. It is the longest single piece of music I have ever written, and it is intended that the audience simply sits back, reflects, and enjoys.

A chorus of angels wordlessly sings, as the spirit-woman did in the song “Grace”, their profound joy in this suite of various styles of song. It is their hymn of worship and thanksgiving to their Creator. “Home” in the title refers to Heaven.

Download “Home Suite” score

This scene takes place in the boyfriend’s parents’ living room. I chose a ‘Slow Rock’ style for this piece, which is played without any singing most of the way through. Musically based on her opening sung theme at the beginning of the opera, in “Advice”, this song is a tribute to the young woman after her death.

The boyfriend silently mimes a conversation he is having with his parents, who frequently respond by nodding in agreement. No words are needed, because we can plainly see what is occurring: He is reading from a Bible while they follow along, and then explaining the meanings behind certain verses to them.

We’ve witnessed his parents objecting strongly and openly to Christianity in the past, so we know that something has definitely changed in their thinking, since they now listen appreciatively.

At the end of this scene, the parents and their son bow their heads together in prayer. At the end of this prayer, two overhead spotlights shine down upon the parents — one upon each of them — symbolizing that, since they truly meant their prayers of repentance, they have now received God’s free gift of eternal Salvation, and will surely enter Heaven.

Download “Goodbye Good Girl, and Thanks” score

In this scene, our protagonist dies. The young woman is first seen on her hospital bed, barely clinging to life. Alone in her room, she soon stretches her hand up toward Heaven, and gives a weak-voiced, one-word prayer — all that she can manage — a plea for her boyfriend’s parents.

Simultaneously, but off to the side of the stage and in an otherworldly environment, her boyfriend’s parents are standing still and wearing blindfolds, demons surrounding them. Yet the parents don’t seem afraid. If anything, they look quite relaxed and contented, standing rather casually instead of rigidly, clearly not noticing.

On the opposite side of the stage, by himself, the boyfriend is on his knees, praying. As soon as he begins to pray, the demons cease their threatening advance toward his parents, look upward apprehensively, and then glare toward where the young woman is.

Both side-scenes are then darkened, and we once again can see only the young woman in her room. She now begins to have difficulty breathing. She turns her head toward the audience. Then, she is gone.

Download “A Prayer” score

The word which best describes this scene and its music is “ethereal”. More than any except for this opera’s ending scene, “Grace” is all about the visuals. We see a veiled figure, dressed in all white, and standing in the midst of half-lit, dusky but beautiful clouds, billowing and flowing all around her in pastel shades.

We cannot make out her face, due to the strange veil over it, but the voice is the most clear and beautiful we hear in the entire opera. She sings no words, but only vocalizes the notes. This is meant to represent the spiritual language of angels, since we do not know what that language sounds like.

The amazing voice we hear is provided by a special singer — a coloratura soprano — who is required for this song, and for this song alone.

This scene is an aside. It does not happen in time, or on Earth. It is metaphor, and exists for its beauty, which illustrates the character of the young woman.

Download “Grace” score

This scene takes place in a small hospital waiting room. What we witness is the grief and dread on the faces of the young woman and her companion, as they, in silent sorrow, contemplate her fate.

Download “Sorrow” score

The boyfriend returns, running back to the young woman’s doorway panic-stricken and breathless. He urgently asks her what’s wrong.

She is beside herself, wide-eyed, very afraid, in tears, and her voice is faltering as she attempts to explain to him that she awoke from her nightmare to find bizarre and terrifying marks on her face and body. After seeing the malevolent marks, he is aghast, and momentarily speechless.

After a long pause, he frantically asks her what they are. She screams back that she doesn’t know, so he insists they go to a hospital immediately.

Download “Attack” score

The scene is a college campus, outdoors. The boyfriend, sitting alone, has his head in a textbook. Along comes a flirtatious blonde female student — the very girl his parents mentioned in “Advice” as an alternative to his current girlfriend. The flirtatious student plops down next to her crush, startling him. She playfully asks what he’s doing, and after he tells her he’s studying for a science exam, she asks him out on a casual date.

He confesses that he already has a girlfriend, at which point she stands back up, still smiling, and hints that her offer remains open anyway. She then blithely skips away, leaving him shaking his head dismissively before resuming his studies.

The music during his initial studying is intentionally stiff and formal in style. I sought here to reflect my own impressions of school.

Download “School” score