OUT OF DARKNESS: TWO REMAIN (2016 rev. 2018)

Opera in Two Acts based on the stories of two Holocaust survivors: Krystyna Zywulska and Gad Beck. (Duration: each act is approx. 45 minutes in length) Heggie & Scheer explored these stories in three previous one-act stage works (Another Sunrise; Farewell, Auschwitz; and For A Look or a Touch) and combined them into a full-evening work. Source material for the libretto includes documents and journals in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Zywulska’s I Survived Auschwitz (1946), as we all as various interviews, including several from the documentary film Paragraph 175 (directed by Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman).

The opera features roles for 7 performers (3 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, 1 baritone and 1 actor) with an ensemble of six instruments (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, bass and piano).

The opera was commissioned by Music of Remembrance (Mina Miller, founder and artistic director) through a generous award by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Music of Remembrance Commissioning Circle. Premiere: May 22, 2016 at Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall, Seattle WA, directed by Erich Parce and conducted by Joseph Mechavich. Premiere of revised opera and official professional opera company world premiere: Atlanta Opera, April 5, 2018, directed by Tomer Zvulun and conducted by Joseph Mechavich.

ACT ONE: “KRYSTYNA”
Her Jewish identity hidden, Krystyna Zywulska was a political prisoner at Auschwitz-Birkenau. In secret, she composed lyrics to inspire fellow prisoners, even as she carried out her harrowing job in the Effektenkammer: cataloguing the personal effects of thousands of women and children before they were murdered in the gas chambers next store. Many years after the war, she is asked by a journalist to share her stories and record them on a tape player. Haunted and helped by the ghosts of her past – Zosia, Edka, Mariola and her younger self, Krysia – she struggles to find the words.

ACT TWO: “GAD”
Gad Beck’s first true love was the poet Manfred Lewin, who was 19 when he and his entire family were murdered in Auschwitz. In the many years since the war, Gad has tried his best to forget what happened, but he keeps the book of Manfred’s original poems close by. As an old man, he is visited by Manfred’s ghost one night. As Manfred implores Gad to remember and celebrate their love, the painful truth of their stories and fates emerges. It is estimated that more than 100,000 men and women were imprisoned for homosexuality during the Holocaust; it is not known how many thousands were murdered. Even after the war was over, Paragraph 175, the German law prohibiting homosexuality, remained in effect until 1969.

A recording is available, see Out of Darkness (Naxos).

   

Details on Upcoming & Past Performances

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Out of Darkness/For a Look Or a Touch

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