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A'Musing, the First Opera

A’Musing is a love story, an allegory, a chamber opera. There are six main characters: Franklin, a cosmic curiosity just peeking out, a psychic inventor searching for something new to create and finding himself; Morning Glory, a careful blend of introspection sprinkled with humorous perception; Master Piece, affable, ego-destroying, lovable; Miss Fortune, limited in intelligence yet a useful mouthpiece for critical dialogue; an old man and old woman, narrators who deliver the story in a style of humor gained through wisdom.

 

The opera opens on the beach and we are invited to spin into a fantasy where wet winds howl like sirens through the caves. Franklin is introduced with a song requesting “enough wind to sail into the storm and fly my key.” Morning Glory (who will become Franklin’s wind) is introduced by singing “the sadness of all lives can be illumined—all humans can smile.”

 

Franklin is a singer and songwriter. He performs nightly at the Fogfish Bar and Grill. It is here that one evening he meets Morning Glory, inspiring him to sing about “Her soliloquy of laughter.”

 

After they meet, time becomes like a skip-stone thrown but never touching water while the other is around. They decide to move to the city to begin their exploration of humanity, testing their decisions in a club called “Collisions.”

 

A phone call alerts the agent Master Piece to this new act. He is told they are “a fusion of something old and new, a fresh slant, an invigorating chant.” He states: “They need my own very special care. I’ll be their agent today.”

 

Master Piece and his arm candy, Miss Fortune, arrive at the apartment of Franklin and Morning Glory. After listening to some songs, Master Piece sings, “Your music it glimmers; it glimmers and shimmers. It takes off like a sprite on its own little flight. It flies high in the air. That’s why people don’t care.”

 

Franklin slowly withdraws under this adverse criticism, leading Master Piece to sing “Hey there, Mr. Planetary Torn Asunder, see him lumber. Watch him stumble to the shoulders of his orbitary boulevard. Please don’t burn up in the atmosphere, leaving only steam from your sweet tears to remember you.”

 

Morning Glory is unable to reach Franklin in his despair. They part ways. But as the tempest roars inside him, he hears the laughter of the glorious morning and sings, “How many people are there inside here trying to take me away? Some wasteful, some distasteful, some with promise, oh it’s upon us. I feel one of those curious moments when you know you’re growing wiser coming on.”

 

So, the gift of realization that Morning glory had so tenderly offered, Franklin finally gives to himself. Accepting his weaknesses cures his failures. With a humorous glint in his eyes and a hint of mirth in his smile, Franklin goes back to the Fogfish Bar and Grill to begin again.

 

There, he is reunited with Morning Glory, and they sing a “Catharsis Medley” with Master Piece and Miss Fortune. We leave Franklin and Morning Glory outside on the beach singing, “We’re just coming back to where we were in the first place, moving the same direction as before.” Rejoining and rejoicing with newfound strength and energy, they sing to each other, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.

Here are some ​artifacts from the first opera, A'Musing, including poster and stills from the productions.

These are clips from the Spoleto/Piccolo production of A'Musing in Charleston, SC. Use the music unmute button in the lower right to hear the soundtrack. Tim Lambert as "Franklin," Raechel Councill as "Morning Glory," Jeremiah Councill as "MasterPiece," and Laura Thomas as "Miss Fortune."

Whisperweeds - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

Windchild - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

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Morning Glory (RaechelCouncill) singing "Today is Turning into Night."

Today is Turning into Night - Mary Councill
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Music and Lyrics by Mary Councill and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

MasterPiece (Bill Buchynski), rather excited about being the young heroes' agent and Miss Fortune (Laura Thomas), his able assistant.

Mr. PTA - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

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Franklin (Tim Lambert), after hearing Morning Glory's laughter.

The Minstrel-Bard (Jeremiah Councill).

Hymn #2 - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

Soliloquy - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

A'Mazing, the Second Opera

A'Mazing, in its ongoing composition, is an opera of thought-provoking celebration inspired by the concept of 5 days out of time embedded in the 360 day Sumerian calendar. Each act is labelled “Act I.” The first Act I is based on Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” from his Republic. This is a root of the Western approach to culture. The second Act I is our interpretation of the ancient Chinese 10 Ox-Herding Story, which displays a root of the Eastern approach. The idea here is to provide a non-judgmental picture of the current collision of these two philosophies. The third Act I is about subatomic physics, which has been changing our world view in subtle and not-so-subtle ways since Einstein. The fourth Act I is about climate change and the more general relationship between Earth and Humans as we navigate this profound impact on all of us. The fifth and last Act I is set in the cacophony of the Beijing train station where the characters distribute themselves among the different trains representing the 4 acts. One character chooses not to participate—an example of the truth of apathy or the truth of confusion both creating loops of negativity and inaction—while the others choose change.

Act I Intro and Plato's Allegory of the Cave 

The following selection is "Critical Crisis Situation," the opening song for the opera.

Critical Crisis Situation - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

This next tune is the remainder of our first Act I, "Shadows."

Open this for lyrics to Critical Crisis Situation.

Shadows - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

Open this for lyrics to Shadows.

Act 1 The 10 Ox-Herding Story
The 10 Ox-Herding Story - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

Open this for lyrics to The 10 Ox-Herding Story.

Act I Subatomic Physics 

"Particle World" deals with a subatomic love story with overtones of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

Particle World - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill, and Orchestration by Jeremy Liedhecker.

Act 1 Music of the Sphere

Jeremy is currently working on the orchestrations for this act, so the following are our own basic instrumental and vocal tracks.

Tipping Point - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill.

I Want to be Gentle - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill.

The Sea Did Not Speak - Mary and Jeremah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill.

Music of Our Sphere - Mary and Jeremiah Councill
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Music by Mary Councill, Lyrics by Jeremiah Councill. This song is followed by William Blakes "Augeries of Innocence" musically adapted by Mary Councill.

Open this for lyrics to Particle World.

Open this for lyrics to Tipping Point.

Open this for lyrics to I Want to be Gentle.

Open this for lyrics to The Sea Did Not Speak.

Open this for lyrics to Music of Our Sphere.

Content Copyright © Fogfish Productions, Inc.

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