
A Fleeting Animal: An Opera from Judevine Music by Erik Nielsen Libretto by David Budbill WORLD PREMIERE, October 2000 In 1999 Vermont Opera Theater commissioned Vermont composer Erik Nielsen to create an opera for the Millennium Year. The result of his labor, A Fleeting Animal: An Opera from Judevine, with libretto by Vermont poet and playwright David Budbill, premiered the end of October, 2000 with performances in Montpelier, Vergennes, and Randolph, Vermont. *"... the music, wedded to powerful theater, transports the listener ... the drama was strongly served"* -Zeke Hecker, Opera News (online edition) *"... a portrait of rural Vermont that not only rings true but tears at the heartstrings ... a powerful and sympathetic professional performance"* -Jim Lowe, Times-Argus For the premiere, the cast and their characters were
	Joseph DiSalle	TOMMY: tenor, a Vietnam veteran, early to mid 20's
Lisa Jablow	GRACE: soprano, single mother, late 30's or early 40's
Simon Chaussé	ANTOINE: baritone, a French-Canadian logger, 30's or 40's
William O. Beeman	DOUG: bass-baritone, an Anglo logger, 30's
Ann E. Fitch	EDITH: soprano, the town gossip, 40's or 50's
Eric K. Brooks	JAMES: tenor, an African-American friend of Tommy's
Micheal Henderson	WILLIAM: baritone, an African-American friend of Tommy's
Elizabeth Page	THE ANGEL: soprano
Bobbie (mezzo), Doug's wife: Nora Zablow; and other townspeople, chorus, and Vietcong: Pamela Hurst, Celina Moore, William Pelton, Rob Rohr, Rebecca Smith, and John Tisbert
Music Director: Anne Decker Stage Director: Tim Tavcar with the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble
	The Story: Set in Judevine, a small, poor town in northern Vermont during the 1970's, this chamber opera tells of the ill-fated love of Tommy, a young Vietnam veteran, and Grace, an older single mother. It follows their story through a cycle of the seasons with commentary, local color and humor. This is a story of love and tragedy in contemporary rural New England. It contains adult themes and some strong language. It is also extremely beautiful and moving. The opera is some 110 minutes long. Its music is eclectic, containing both tonal and non-tonal passages, blues, jazz, Quebecois folk music and other styles in large variety. It is scored for string quartet, clarinet (bass clarinet), piano, and percussion. And here is a list of the scenes to make you curious!
Step this way to the Photo Gallery!	OVERTURE ACT I PRELUDE 1: WHERE AND WHO AND SPRING 2: TOMMY STAMES 3: GRACE 4: GOSSIP AT THE RINK 5: AT THE TRAILER 6: INCIDENT WITH THE BEAR	ENTR'ACTE ACT II 1: AT THE LANDING 2: DREAM SEQUENCE 3: BETWEEN HILLS BRIEFLY GREEN 4: PASTORAL INTERLUDE 5: TOMMY'S DEATH 6: GRACE SPEAKS 7: FINALE
See - and hear! - the web site of David Budbill, the librettist, for more on this fine opera.

A Fleeting Animal: An Opera from Judevine

Music by Erik Nielsen Libretto by David Budbill

WORLD PREMIERE, October 2000

In 1999 Vermont Opera Theater commissioned Vermont composer Erik Nielsen to create an opera for the Millennium Year. The result of his labor, A Fleeting Animal: An Opera from Judevine, with libretto by Vermont poet and playwright David Budbill, premiered the end of October, 2000 with performances in Montpelier, Vergennes, and Randolph, Vermont.

"... the music, wedded to powerful theater, transports the listener ... the drama was strongly served"

-Zeke Hecker, Opera News (online edition)

"... a portrait of rural Vermont that not only rings true but tears at the heartstrings ... a powerful and sympathetic professional performance"

-Jim Lowe, Times-Argus

For the premiere, the cast and their characters were

Joseph DiSalle

TOMMY: tenor, a Vietnam veteran, early to mid 20's

Lisa Jablow

GRACE: soprano, single mother, late 30's or early 40's

Simon Chaussé

ANTOINE: baritone, a French-Canadian logger, 30's or 40's

William O. Beeman

DOUG: bass-baritone, an Anglo logger, 30's

Ann E. Fitch

EDITH: soprano, the town gossip, 40's or 50's

Eric K. Brooks

JAMES: tenor, an African-American friend of Tommy's

Micheal Henderson

WILLIAM: baritone, an African-American friend of Tommy's

Elizabeth Page

THE ANGEL: soprano

Bobbie (mezzo), Doug's wife: Nora Zablow; and other townspeople, chorus, and Vietcong: Pamela Hurst, Celina Moore, William Pelton, Rob Rohr, Rebecca Smith, and John Tisbert

Music Director: Anne Decker Stage Director: Tim Tavcar
with the
Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble

The Story:
Set in Judevine, a small, poor town in northern Vermont during the 1970's, this chamber opera tells of the ill-fated love of Tommy, a young Vietnam veteran, and Grace, an older single mother. It follows their story through a cycle of the seasons with commentary, local color and humor. This is a story of love and tragedy in contemporary rural New England. It contains adult themes and some strong language. It is also extremely beautiful and moving.

The opera is some 110 minutes long. Its music is eclectic, containing both tonal and non-tonal passages, blues, jazz, Quebecois folk music and other styles in large variety. It is scored for string quartet, clarinet (bass clarinet), piano, and percussion.

And here is a list of the scenes to make you curious!

Step this way to the

Photo Gallery!

OVERTURE

ACT I
    PRELUDE
    1: WHERE AND WHO AND SPRING
    2: TOMMY STAMES
    3: GRACE
    4: GOSSIP AT THE RINK
    5: AT THE TRAILER
    6: INCIDENT WITH THE BEAR

ENTR'ACTE

ACT II
1: AT THE LANDING
2: DREAM SEQUENCE
3: BETWEEN HILLS BRIEFLY GREEN
4: PASTORAL INTERLUDE
5: TOMMY'S DEATH
6: GRACE SPEAKS
7: FINALE

See - and hear! - the web site of David Budbill, the librettist, for more on this fine opera.

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