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OVERVIEW
Title: M’dea Undone
Composer: John Harris
Librettist: Marjorie Chan
Commissioned By: Tapestry Opera
Language: English
Producer: Tapestry Opera
Run Time: 64
Roles:
Role | Voice Type | Range ? | Character Description |
---|---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | C4-F#5 | A woman from a land far away |
Jason | middle-low | D3-F#4 | M'dea's husband, holds the rank of Captain |
President | middle-low | D3-Bb4 | The President |
Dahlia | high | B3-C6 | The President's daughter |
Chase | silent-spoken | M'dea and Jason's son | |
Citizen Chorus | high | SAATB | Citizens |
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SYNOPSIS
Jason, an army captain and now war-hero, is returning home after years of war and an uncertain future. His interpreter and lover M’dea and their son Chase accompany him to a new life in the West. Jason begins a political career, working alongside the President and Dahlia, the President’s beautiful young daughter. Having betrayed her village to help him, M’dea rages as Jason distances his family from his new political life, taking Dahlia as his wife. When Dahlia is murdered in cold blood on the precipice of victory, M’dea’s struggle for survival and revenge begins a rapid spiral towards the opera’s searing, tragic finale. M’dea Undone is a passionate and daring interrogation of power, influence, and identity in the twenty-first century.
MUSIC DESCRIPTION
SCORES FOR PURCHASE
Arias & Excerpts:
Dahlia's father encourages her to seduce Jason, and promises her she can have anything she wants.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-low | D3-Eb4 |
Dahlia | high | C4-F5 |
On the eve of their departure, M'dea and Chase play a gruesome game imagining ways to kill Dahlia the demoness.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Dahlia | high | B3-A5 |
M'dea | middle-high | Bb3-F#5 |
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|
Jason, M'dea, and the soldiers return from war to a celebratory crowd. Some do not trust the new foreigner, M'dea.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-low | A2-E4 |
Dahlia | high | Silent |
M'dea | middle-high | F4-G5 |
Jason | middle-low | E3-A4 |
Soldiers | high | SATB |
Citizens | high | SATB |
At a party, the Corporal mocks Jason for needing M'dea to help him win and for bringing her home.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Jason | middle-low | D3-E4 |
M'dea | middle-high | |
Private | middle | |
Corporal | middle-low | |
Female Soldier | high | |
Girl Solider | high | |
Soldiers | high | SATB |
M'dea and Jason commit to loving each other and helping each other recover from the war and memories that haunt them.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Jason | middle-low | |
M'dea | middle-high |
Jason and M'dea are expecting a baby. Citizens gossip about the couple.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
Jason | middle-low | |
Citizens | high | Chorus |
At the President's office, Jason and the President discuss family, how to be a good father, and a possible future for Jason in politics.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-low | |
Jason | middle-low |
A family outing to the beach turns into a photo op for the paparazzi.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Jason | middle-low | |
M'dea | middle-high | |
Chase | high | |
Paparazzi | high |
In a dream state, M'dea recalls all she has done to survive.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high |
The President invites Jason to be his running mate, and begins to remake him. This process sidelines M'dea and Chase. Dahlia and Jason are attracted to one other.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-high | |
Dahlia | high | |
Jason | middle-low | |
M'dea | middle-high | |
Chase | high |
Dahlia's father encourages her to seduce Jason, and promises her she can have anything she wants.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Dahlia | high | C4-F5 |
President | middle-low | D3-Eb4 |
The party is about to announce Jason's candidacy. Jason and Dahlia dance together, oblivious to all the others. Enraged, M'dea smashes a glass wall, showering fragments over the party guests.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-low | |
Jason | middle-low | |
M'dea | middle-high | |
Dahlia | high | |
Society Ladies & other important & famous people | high |
Jason and Dahlia are getting married. The citizens gossip.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Jason | middle-low | |
Dahlia | high | |
Citizens | high |
The President threatens M'dea with prison or the loss of her son if she doesn't do as he wants. He warns her not to cause trouble for Jason.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
Corporal | middle-low | |
President | middle-low | |
Dahlia | high |
M'dea has a breakdown and brings Chase to the fountain at Jason and Dahlia's, where she sees the ghost of her mother. She is discovered by Jason and Dahlia, and a fight ensues.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
M'dea's Mother | high | |
Chase | high | |
Jason | middle-low | |
Dahlia | high |
Dahlia convinces Jason to send M'dea away.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Dahlia | high | |
Jason | middle-low |
M'dea tries once more to get Jason to stay with her, but he believes he will never forget his war crimes if she is in his life. M'dea eventually agrees to go back to her country.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
Jason | middle-low |
On the eve of their departure, M'dea and Chase play a gruesome game imagining ways to kill Dahlia the demoness.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'Dea | middle-high | Bb3-F#5 |
Chase | high | |
Dahlia | high | B3-A5 |
The President gives an election victory speech.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
President | middle-high | |
Jason | middle-low | |
Dahlia | high | |
Citizens | high |
Just before the wedding, Jason discovers Dahlia and the President murdered.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Jason | middle-low |
The citizens gossip about the murder.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
Citizens | high |
After the murders, M'dea almost kills herself but is interrupted by Chase. They escape to the beach.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
Chase | high |
Pursued by Jason and the guards, M'dea and Chase climb a cliff by the ocean. When they reach the top, they play a version of their make-believe game, and jump off.
Character | Voice Type | Range ? |
---|---|---|
M'dea | middle-high | |
Chase | high | |
Jason | middle-low | |
Guards | high |
PREMIERE PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Premiere Production: May 26-29, 2015 at Evergreen Brickworks Holcim Gallery, Toronto ON
Producers: Tapestry Opera
Cast:
Role | Name |
---|---|
M'dea | Lauren Segal |
Jason | Peter Barrett |
Dahlia | Jacqueline Woodley |
President | James McLean |
Chase | Roux Elishka |
Secret Service Agent 1 | Chris Harvey |
Secret Service Agent 2 | Simon Mizera |
Role | Name |
---|---|
Director | Tim Albery |
Music Director | Jordan de Souza |
Set/Costume Design | Michelle Tracey |
Lighting Designer | Jason Hand |
Production Manager | Peter Eaton |
Technical Director | Jordan Routcliff |
Stage Manager | Isolde Pleasants-Faulkner |
Assistant Stage Manager | Emilie Aubin |
Assistant Conductor | Anastasia Tchernikova |
Rehearsal Pianist | Timothy Cheung |
Rehearsal Pianist | Gregory Millar |
CREATION
AWARDS
Nominated for Best New Musical/Opera (Marjorie Chan, John Harris) at the 2016 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
MEDIA
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