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You are here: Compositions > Compositions & Collections > FOR A LOOK OR A TOUCH (CHORAL/STAGE) (2013)

FOR A LOOK OR A TOUCH (CHORAL/STAGE) (2013)

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2011. Settles Men's Chorus
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
Seattle Men’s Chorus

Photo John Pai

Libretto by Gene Scheer. For baritone, men’s chorus, actor, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. Originally commissioned by Music of Remembrance, this second incarnation was commissioned by the Seattle Men’s Chorus and The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus.

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie.
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
David Pichette and Morgan Smith

Photo John Pai

First performance: April 2, 2011 at McCaw Hall, Seattle, with baritone Morgan Smith, actor David Pichette, Seattle Men’s Chorus and instrumentalists from the Seattle Symphony, conducted by Dennis Coleman, directed by Andrew Russell.

For A Look Or A Touch is a story about the persecution of gay men during the Holocaust. Librettist Gene Scheer based his text on true stories told in the documentary film Paragraph 175 and the journal of Manfred Lewin, from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC.

(NOTE: this work also exists in two other versions, a stage version without men’s choir, and as a song cycle for baritone solo.)

1. The Voice
2. Golden Years
3. A Hundred Thousand Stars
4. The Story of Joe
5. Silence

Recordings of this composition are available. See Out of Darkness (Naxos) and For A Look Or A Touch (Naxos).

      

 

Details on Upcoming & Past Performances

Aug. 21 & 23
2020

WALNUT CREEK
(POSTPONED) A Jake Heggie Triptych at Festival Opera in Walnut Creek features performances of At the Statue of Venus (soprano Carrie Hennessey), Camille Claudel: Into the Fire (mezzo-soprano Diana Tash), and For a Look or a Touch (baritone Zach Gordin and actor Curt Branom). Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek CA.
More Perf. Info.
Festival Opera Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 19
2020

SAN FRANCISCO
(POSTPONED) Intonations and For a Look or a Touch performed and produced by Music of Remembrance (Mina Miller, artistic director). A repeat of the May 17 concert in San Francisco at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
More Perf. Info.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 17
2020

SEATTLE
(POSTPONED) Intonations and For a Look or a Touch performed and produced by Music of Remembrance (Mina Miller, artistic director), directed by Erich Parce and featuring performances by mezzo-soprano Laura Krumm, baritone Jarrett Ott, actor Curt Branom and solo violinist Mikhail Shmidt with members of the Seattle Symphony at Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall.
More Perf. Info.
Music of Remebrance Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 12
2020

MIAMI
(POSTPONED) Two Remain produced by the Miami Music Festival in the New World Center, with Kathryn Grumly (Krystyna Zywulska), Jessica Fishenfeld (Krysia), Nathaniel Voth (Manfred); conducted by Michael Rossi in a new production by director David Toulson.
More Perf. Info.
Miami Music Festival Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Mar 28, 29, Apr 1, 3 & 4
2020

CHICAGO
(POSTPONED) Two Remain in a new production at Chicago Fringe Opera, conducted by Catherine O’Shaughnessy and directed by Derek Van Barham.
Chicago Fringe Opera Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Apr 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 & 15
2018

ATLANTA
Out of Darkness: Two Remain at the Atlanta Opera. Heggie and Scheer’s two-act Holocaust remembrance receives its first fully-staged production in the intimate Balzer Theater at Herrem’s, directed by Tomer Zvulun. Cast TBA.
More Perf. Info.
The Atlanta Opera Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Feb 10 - 11
2018

TORONTO
The Canadian premiere of Another Sunrise and Farewell, Auschwitz at Congregation Beth Tzedec in Toronto. Featuring Sara Schabas (Zywulska), Georgia Burashko (Zosia) and Sean Watson (Manfred); directed by Aaron Willis and conducted by Michael Shannon
More Perf. Info.
Congregation Beth Tzedec Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Feb 8 - 9
2018

BALTIMORE
Out of Darkness: Two Remain workshop production presented by Peabody Chamber Opera at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD: Garnett Bruce, director; Eileen Cornett, music director.
More Perf. Info.
Peabody Chamber Opera Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 4
2017

AMSTERDAM
For a Look or A Touch at the Dutch National Opera featuring baritone Bryan Jolly (Manfred) and actor Alexander Oliver (Gad), directed by Wim Trompert.
More Perf. Info.
Dutch National Opera Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 25 - 26
2016

SAN FRANCISCO
Out of Darkness – Premiere production of a new opera by Heggie and Scheer, based on Holocaust stories commissioned by Music of Remembrance (Mina Miller, artistic director) at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. With soprano Caitlin Lynch (Krystyna), soprano Ava Pine (Krysia), mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook (Zosha), baritone Michael Mayes (Manfred), and baritone Robert Orth (Gad).
More Perf. Info.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 22
2016

SEATTLE
Out of Darkness – World premiere of a new opera by Heggie and Scheer, based on Holocaust stories commissioned by Music of Remembrance (Mina Miller, artistic director) at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA. With soprano Caitlin Lynch (Krystyna), soprano Ava Pine (Krysia), mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook (Zosha), baritone Michael Mayes (Manfred), and baritone Robert Orth (Gad).
More Perf. Info.
Music of Remebrance Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 18
2015

SAN FRANCISCO
Farewell, Auschwitz performed by Music of Remembrance as part of the Music at Meyer series at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. Soprano Ava Pine, mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook and baritone Robert Orth join players from the Seattle Symphony on a program that also features After Life, a new one-act opera by Tom Cipullo that imagines Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso after their deaths. Temple Emanu-El at 7:30pm.
More Perf. Info.
Music At Meyer Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Apr 1 - 2
2015

SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus performs For A Look or A Touch at Davies Symphony Hall with baritone Morgan Smith and actor Kip Niven, conducted by Tim Seelig. Baritone Hadleigh Adams also performs. Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, 8pm.
More Perf. Info.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Mar 29
2015

SAN FRANCISCO
A Preview of For A Look or a Touch, presented by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street, San Francisco. 3pm. Free with museum admission.
More Perf. Info.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Jun 22, 23, 25, 27
2014

For a Look or a Touch in Germany – Seattle Men’s Chorus will travel with 130 singers, musicians, actors, and artistic and production staff for a 12 day tour of Germany with their production titled Falling In Love Again, featuring Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s one act opera. Performances in Berlin, Leipsig, Dresden and Cologne/Krefeld.
More Perf. Info. Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
May 14
2013

SEATTLE
World premiere of “Farewell, Auschwitz!” commissioned by Seattle’s Music of Remembrance; Mina Miller, artistic director. The new work, for three singers and instrumental quintet, is based on lyrics by Polish dissident and Auschwitz survivor Krystyna Zywulska in poetic translations by Gene Scheer. Soprano Caitlin Lynch, mezzo-soprano Sarah Larsen and baritone Morgan Smith perform at Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA.
More Perf. Info.
Seattle’s Music of Remembrance Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  
Mar 23 - 24
2013

For A Look Or A Touch performed by The Heartland Men’s Chorus at the Folly Theater in Kansas City, MO with baritone Morgan Smith (Manfred) and actor Kip Niven (Gad).
Type: Two Remain/Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch  

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The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie.
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
David Pichette and Morgan Smith

Photo John Pai

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2011. Seattle Men's Chorus
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
Seattle Men’s Chorus

Photo John Pai

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, Seattle 2011. David Pichette & Morgan Smith.
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
David Pichette & Morgan Smith

Photo John Pai

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2011. Seattle Men's Chorus
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
Seattle Men’s Chorus

Photo John Pai

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2011. Morgan Smith, David Pichette & Seattle Men's Chorus
For A Look Or A Touch, Seattle 2011
Morgan Smith, David Pichette & The Seattle Men’s Chorus

Photo John Pai

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2015. Kip Niven and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.
For A Look Or A Touch, San Francisco 2015
Kip Niven and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

Gareth Gooch Photography

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2015. Morgan Smith & Kip Niven.
For A Look Or A Touch, San Francisco 2015
Morgan Smith & Kip Niven

Gareth Gooch Photography

The Choral Opera For A Look Or A Touch by Jake Heggie, 2015. Morgan Smith, Kip Niven and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.
For A Look Or A Touch, San Francisco 2015
Morgan Smith, Kip Niven and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

Gareth Gooch Photography

One or more recordings have been made. (Here is a Search for them.)   Sheet Music, Scores, Parts and Performance Materials are available from billholabmusic.com.   Rental Sheet Music, Scores, Parts and Performance Materials are available from billholabmusic.com.

| Categories↠Compositions | Tags↠Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Morgan Smith, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, Seattle Men's Chorus | Debut Year↠2011, 2013 | Compositions↠Chamber/Ensemble, Choral Work, Opera/Stage | Other Criteria↠Recorded, Score Available, Score Available (Rental) | Featured Voices/Instruments↠Actor, Baritone, Cello, Chorus, Chorus TTBB, Flute, Piano, Violin |

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