The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year

The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year (2013)

chamber opera in one act for 3 vocal soloists, 2 singing puppeteers, and chamber orchestra, based on the play by John Guare

[1111.1111.2 perc.harp.piano+toy piano.SOLO soprano, SOLO tenor, SOLO baritone. 2 singing (not classically training, ideally bad singers) puppeteers. strings]
Duration: 45’

Written for Laura Soto-Bayomi, Josh Quinn, and Patrick Shelton with support from an Entrepreneurial Musicianship grant (NEC) and a Granoff Special Projects grant (Tufts)

Premiered fully staged May 15, 2013 at Brown Hall, New England Conservatory, MA
Laura Soto-Bayomi, Joshua Quinn, Patrick Shelton, Sami Stevens, Diamanda La Berge-Dramm, and ad-hoc orchestra; Matthew Szymanski, conductor

Katherine Balch · Recitative and calliope music ("Do you really have a wife?")

Katherine Balch · "Don't let her see us! Under those babies is where she keeps her blue rifle!"

Katherine Balch · "Autumn Song"

PC: A. Hurltbut photography