COLLABORA
TION
COLLABORA
TION
KISS MY SWORD
KISS MY SWORD
I AM A THING THAT WILL NOT BE DENIED;
I AM THE HEAT AT THE HEART OF THE FIRE;
I AM IN ALL WAYS ALWAYS FREE–
I AM JULIE D’AUBIGNY.
KISS MY SWORD IS AN UPCOMING NEW OPERA ABOUT THE LIFE OF 17TH CENTURY SWORD-FIGHTER, OPERA SINGER AND QUEER ICON JULIE D’AUBIGNY.
SHE WAS A FIRESTARTER AND A SHOWSTOPPER, AN OPENLY QUEER CROSS-DRESSER, A DUELLIST AND A CELEBRITY - BUT IN TERMS OF HISTORICAL RECORD SHE’S CLOSER TO MYTH THAN REALITY, WITH SOURCES FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THIS HAS NOT STOPPED HER MAGNETISM ACROSS THE CENTURIES. JULIE IS A MASS OF JOYFUL CONTRADICTIONS, RUMOURS, LEGENDS, LIES, AND MULTIPLICITY. KISS MY SWORD WANTS TO GET RIGHT TO THE HEART(S) OF ALL OF IT.
CO-CREATED BY COMPOSER META COHEN, LIBRETTIST EVAN BRYSON AND DIRECTOR/DRAMATURG ALYSON CAMPBELL, KISS MY SWORD IS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION AS A FULL CHAMBER OPERA.
SONGS FROM THE OPERA PREMIERED AT THE FORTYFIVEDOWNSTAIRS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL AS PART OF LYRIC OPERA'S "THEIR VOICES WILL RISE".
CAEDO
CAEDO
THE ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN IS THIS
THE POINT OF A SWORD
THE END OF A WORD
A PIECE ABOUT OBSESSION AND VIOLENCE, CAEDO CENTERS AROUND IMPRESSIONS OF THE THE STRANGE AND TERRIBLE ALBIGENSIAN CRUSADE, WITHIN A CONTEXT OF BROADER HISTORICAL CYCLES OF IDEOLOGICAL VIOLENCE THAT HAS NOT DECREASED IN RELEVANCE. WHAT HAPPENED IN 1209 WAS NOT A DISTANT EVENT CONFINED TO A MORE BRUTAL PAST, BUT A PART OF A LEGACY OF DIVISION AND VIOLENCE EXTENDING PRIOR TO AND PAST IT.
(2023)
DELPHI SONGS
DELPHI SONGS
THIS CITY FORTIFIED WITH RUST
THESE WORDS WILL GRIND YOUR HALLS TO DUST
DELPHI SONGS IS A SONG CYCLE FROM COMPOSER META COHEN, CENTERED AROUND THE LAST ORACLE OF DELPHI. IT USED VARIOUS TEXTS; I WAS COMMISSIONED FOR THE LIBRETTO OF THE FINAL PART. DELPHI SONGS REFLECTS AN ORACLE WHO FACES HER OWN OBSOLESCENCE AND PREDICTS HER OWN DEMISE, AND PYTHIA THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US AND HER.
WRITTEN IN 2015 AND REVISED IN 2024, DELPHI SONGS WAS MOST RECENTLY PERFORMED AT THE CHAMBERQUEER FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK IN 2024.
