The Lily of the Valley

Details

Description

The Lily of the Valley
An opera in one act
Music : Yuko Katori
Libretto: Robert Millner on the short story "Happiness" by Guy de Maupassant

This piece was developed in the OperaGenesis project at the Royal Opera House, London between 2006 and 2008, and presented as a workshop production at the Linbury Studio Theatre in May 2008.

Music Director: Nicholas Jenkins
Director: Claudio Tedesco
Director of Movement: Darren Royston
Design: Nicolai Hart Hansen

Cast
Daniel Norman : Paul Saval
Jaqueline Varsey : Saval's friend
Clarissa Meek : Old woman

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Synopsis

In his apartment in Paris, Paul Saval, a writer and his friend, a woman are sitting together reading his latest work, a short story entitled “Happiness”. In the story, a group of people in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea are talking about love. One of them notices a dark shape on the horizon, another identifies it as Corsica and says he has visited the island and found there an example of lasting love.

As the world of the stage becomes the world of the story within the story, Saval becomes the man who identified Corsica and his adventure is enacted. After walking for ten hours, he finds a small croft in a valley. He knocks on the door and hears a woman singing. An old woman opens the door and invites him into a simple room. There seems to be a human form dressed in hussar’s uniform seated on a chair. The old woman says it is her husband who is deaf and asleep. She offers Saval some bread and wine and says she has lived in the valley for 50 years but was originally from the mainland. She seems reluctant to reveal her true identity and sings “I am the rose of Sharon”. Saval eventually discovers she is from France, indeed from Nancy, his hometown. She asks about certain families she remembers and finally reveals that she is Suzanne de Sirmonts, a rich and beautiful girl who had eloped 50 years ago with an officer in the Hussars. She shape-shifts into a beautiful young woman: Sophia, the Holy Spirit in the sacred feminine, speaking through Suzanne de Sirmonts’ devotion, and removes the blanket covering the husband. Saval in admiration sings with her as they celebrate her love.

Suzanne fades away and Saval becomes the narrator once again. The scene shifts back to his apartment and he finishes reading the story to his friend. She, having forgotten all worldly cares for a while, has been deeply affected by the story. The sun breaks through the window as she moves towards it.
(synospsis written by Robert Millner)

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Yuko Katori
https://yukokatori.com
https://campsite.bio/yukokatori
https://yukokmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://jam.coop/artists/yuko-katori
https://mirlo.space/yuko-katori/releases
https://audiospace.soundingfuture.com/

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