C6773280-9EC5-446C-A5C3-27CE896DCDBD
| ID | C6773280-9EC5-446C-A5C3-27CE896DCDBD |
|---|---|
| Titlecode | R01497 |
| Title Name | The Face |
| Marketing Copy | A ficticious present-day poet living in Venice Beach struggles with the loss of his lover and the unraveling of his personal life while he participates in the filming of a documentary about his career. The opera combines musical theater, choreography, and an original silent film which is projected onto the stage as a key dramatic element in the story. |
| Instrumentation | Cast: Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor, Bass. Ensemble: Flute (dPicc, AFl, BFl), Horn, 1 Percussion, Guitar (dAGtr, EGtr-slide), Piano, Violin, Cello, Double Bass |
| Commission | (not set) |
| Dedication | (not set) |
| Program Notes | Brief Synopsis The opera is set in Venice, CA in present day and is centered on the making of a film about a poet’s life and work. Many of the scenes take place either on a studio set where the film is being shot or in the Venice Beach area. The central character, RAPHAEL (a once famous poet and writer), has suffered a series of personal crises in his life including the loss of his soul mate and muse, MARINA, several years earlier. INFANTA is a talented director/filmmaker who has convinced Raphael to participate in the making of a movie about his life. Infanta is collaborating on the project with her mentor, the well-known producer MEMPHIS. A young and ambitious actress, CYBELE, is cast by Infanta in the role of Marina for the movie. (While Marina is a central figure in the dramatic context of the work, she appears to the audience solely on film, which is rear projected from the stage during the opera). In the process of making the movie, Raphael becomes increasingly unbalanced as he relives the traumatic loss of Marina. Simultaneously he is both enticed and un-nerved by his developing relationship with the young actress Cybele who plays Marina so convincingly in the movie. Tensions also arise between Infanta and Cybele as a web of intertwining personal relationships evolves between the characters. Always observing and often engineering these complex interactions is the producer - Memphis (a Mephistopheles-like character) who plays a critical role in Raphael’s demise. The highly successful release of the film coincides with Raphael's emotional and physical collapse as the grueling process finally takes its toll on him. In the closing scene of the opera Raphael in an ambiguous state of being, euphorically reconnects with his touchstone Marina. |
| Title Brand | 2 |
| Year Composed | 2012 |
| Copyright Number | (not set) |
| Copyright Year | (not set) |
| Duration | 80 |
| Ensemble Size | 12 |
| Date Created | 2012-06-06 20:24:23.000000 |
| Date Updated | 2025-09-30 20:24:23 |
| Inhouse Note | (not set) |
| Bsc Code | (not set) |
| Text Author | Libretto by David St. John |
| Premier Performance Memo | Staged World Premiere August 25, 27, 28, 2012. Public debut April 25, 2012 concert excerpts. |
| Recording Credits | (not set) |
| Review | (not set) |
| Awards | (not set) |
| Title Category | 6 |
| Title Movements | 11 scenes |
| Title Grade | (not set) |
| Set Series ID | (not set) |
| Title Instrument Category Text | Serious Opera |
| Title Sub Category Text | (not set) |
| Title Sub Category | 17 |
| Title Instrument Header | 38 |
| Title Grade Text | (not set) |
| Clean Url | the-face-r01497 |