American ApolloPERUSALSCORE
Composer Manuscript Edition
Music by Damien Geter
Libretto by Lila Palmer 2020
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American Apollo a chamber opera
Manuscript Edition
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Music by Damien Geter
Libretto by Lila Palmer 2020
Composer
Commissioned by the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and first produced at the Kennedy Center during the 2020/2021 season.
Synopsis
Scene 1 - ‘Look At Me’
Dusk in late afternoon, autumn. At his studio in the Pope Building, Sargent finishes a life drawing study for the MFA murals. He tells his model, Thomas McKeller, to take a break before they proceed. Sargent, jubilant with the result of the session, asks McKeller if he wants to see the drawing, as it captures him perfectly, and will make an incredible mural of Atlas holding the world. McKeller politely declines and pulls on his bellmanʼs uniform to go out to get some air and stretch. Sargent is surprised but says nothing.
Scene 2 - ‘This is my body’
Outside the building Thomas muses on the nature of being a model, inspiring and being erased into someone elseʼs fantasy, at the cost of much physical effort. Arioso: ʻThis is my body.ʼ He is interrupted by the arrival of Isabella Stewart Gardiner and her driver. The driver settles her in her wheelchair on the sidewalk, and then looks unhappily at the walkup to the studio. ISG dismisses her driver (who protests) reassuring him sheʼll be fine. ISG sizes up Thomas, asking what sort of mood heʼs in. Thomas reassures her Sargent is in good humor and working with great focus. ISG replies that Sargent always is since McKeller came along, and asks her to carry the baggage (meaning herself) upstairs. Thomas agrees.
Scene 3 - A Painter of Souls
In the studio, ISG produces a batch of flamenco records from Europe. She asks to view all John's latest work. ISG asks Thomas what he thinks of the work. Thomas demurs. ISG insists. Thomas explains, with great restraint, the difference between being a model and being the subject of a portrait, Sargent listens with interest and increasing discomfort. ISG insists Thomas has a mind, and wants to know what he feels about his portrayal and Sargentʼs work. ISG criticizes Sargent for taking too many public and society commissions, implying his work is growing stale without human emotion and authentic (uncommissioned) inspiration, already under his known. She departs.
Scene 4 - A Night in Spain
Sargent muses on what Gardner has opened up in McKeller. Sargent recalls flamenco in Spain, and he and McKeller dance to the records. Emboldened and chastened by the discoveries of the evening, Sargent humbly asks McKeller to pose one more time before going home, for a true portrait. McKeller agrees. He surrounds McKeller with a halo of light and prepares to paint.
Cast
John Singer Sargent - the artist, tenor
Thomas McKeller - the artist’s primary model, baritone
Isabella Stewart Gardner - the curator, collector, friend of Sargent, soprano
Jimmy - driver, bass
Instrumentation
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet in Bb Bassoon
Horn in F
Trumpet in C
Piano
Percussion (Snare drum, triangle, tambourine, suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, vibraphone, timpani)
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
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Double Bass
Duration: 18 minutes
Transposed Score Commissioned by the Washington National Opera at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and first produced at the Kennedy Center during its 2020/21 season
Lila Palmer
American Apollo
Dusk in late afternoon, autum. At his studio in the Pope Building, Sargent finishes a life drawing study for the MFA murals with Thomas McKeller as his model.
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet in B b
Bassoon
Horn in F
Trumpet in C
Timpani
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass Piano
Damien Geter
TM turns gaze towards JSS who adjusts slightly.
They lock eyes.
To himself looking at sketches.
TM breaks pose without drama, stretching and flexing muscles. JSS pretends to not pay attention. TM gets dressed.
TM notices JSS looking at him.
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? & ? & & B ? ?
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
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n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b n n n b
n n n n n b b b n n n n b b
n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b
n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b b n n n n n b b
Don't you want to see the morn ing's work?
Laughs
TM puts on the rest of his bell uniform and leaves. Sargent stares after him, and then back at the drawings from the morning.
Spoken:
With growing frustration.
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At the end of the aria, a car door slams. TM shakes himself to focus. ISG enters in a wheelchair with her driver. She recognizes TM. He tries to walk away.
Vibes:
TM stops in his tracks. Turns slowly and walks to ISG.
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ISG waves her hand imperiously. J steps away from her, flushes angrily. She addresses herself to TM as if J ceases to exist.
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TM sets ISG down in a comfy chair. JSS potters around settling her with cushions, etc. TM disappears and returns with her wheelchair and a cardboard box, setting it down, faintly saying...
TM unpacks records and a bottle of
Spoken:
Suspended cymbal:
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Snare Drum:
ISG laughs. Pouty
Spoken: Sprecht (free):
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JSS lays outs sketches of TM.
TM refers to sketches that mute his
Pause as this registers with JSS and ISG.
Suspended cymbal:
Jokingly
Charmingly to JSS to distract him. He fills three glasses.
Spoken: Snare Drum:
Tambourine:
Innocently
TM moves a few steps adapting to the
JSS
(Hand claps)
(Hand claps)
Spoken:
Sargent bustles around, readying himself to paint. TM watches him and slowly walks to the platform.
TM calmly removes his clothes and sits, leaning backwards on the platform. JSS is full of nervous energy.
Sargent walks up to him, ignoring his nakedness, stares, and then takes TM's face by the hands turning it about. Dissatisfied, JSS walks away and forages for candles, returns, and lights them around head and shoulder level for TM, so that he is lit by a beautiful glow.
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