ERIC WHITACRE - CLOUDBURST

Text by Octavio Paz, 1914-1998

Adapted by Eric Whitacre, Translation by Lysander Kemp

El cántaro roto

La lluvia… hay sólo sangre, sólo hay polvo, sólo pisadas de pies desnudos sobre la espina?

Ojos de agua de sombra, ojos de agua de pozo, ojos de agua de sueño.

Soles azules, verdes remolinos, picos de luz que abren astros como granadas.

Dime, tierra quemada, no hay agua?

La lluvia despierta…

Hay que dormir con los ojos abiertos, hay que soñar con las manos, soñemos sueños activos de río buscando su cauce, sueños de sol soñando sus mundos, hay que soñar en voz alta, hay que cantar hasta que el canto eche, raíces, tronco, ramas, pájaros, astros, hay que desenterrar la palabra perdida, recordar lo que dicen la sangre y la marea, la tierra y el cuerpo, volver al punto de partida…

The broken water-jar

The rain…

Eyes of shadow-water, eyes of well-water, eyes of dream-water. Blue suns, green whirlwinds, birdbeaks of light pecking open pomegranate stars. But tell me, burnt earth, is there no water?

Only blood, only dust, Only naked footsteps on the thorns?

The rain awakens…

We must sleep with open eyes, we must dream with our hands, we must dream the dreams of a river seeking its course, of the sun dreaming its worlds, we must dream aloud, we must sing till the song puts forth roots, trunk, branches, birds, stars, we must find the lost word, and remember what the blood, the tides, the earth, and the body say, and return to the point of departure…

To find out about ways to support Musica Viva NY through employer matching, volunteering, and monthly giving, please contact our Executive Director at jasna@musicaviva.org .

Soprano

Beth Clancy

Emily Donato*

Mary Esbjornson

Britt Hewitt*

Katie McCreary*

Erinn Sensenig*

Laura Villanueva

Reldalee Wagner

Kate Wolfe

Sarah Worthington

Tenor

Shawn Bartels*

Paul D’Arcy*

Doug Purcell*

Erik Resurreccion

Nathan Siler*

Musica Viva Ny Choir

Alto

Michelle Demko

Holly Drew

Rodolfo Girón*

Helen Karloski*

Kate Katigbak

Madalyn Luna*

Dinah Nissen

Andrew Troup*

Bass

David Baldwin*

James Dargan*

Fred Diengott*

Matt Mueller*

Harold Norris

Paul Whelan*

Augustus Young

*Section leader

Announcing Musica Viva NY recording project and matching grant up to $20,000!

Please support our recording project.

As the tenth anniversary of Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez’ tenure as Artistic Director of Musica Viva NY approaches, we are excited to announce a plan to honor his accomplishments. This November, Musica Viva NY is going to make a recording featuring two pieces Alejandro has chosen that are close to his heart - both were commissioned and premiered by Musica Viva NY.

Joseph Turrin wrote his cantata And Crimson Roses Once Again Be Fair using texts by war poets, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. Musica Viva NY performed it with orchestra on that anniversary.

Gilda Lyon’s piece Momotombo is scored for a cappella chorus, and Musica Viva NY gave its world premiere on March 27, 2022. The composer wrote the eponymous piece about a famous volcanic formation in Nicaragua. We plan to release the recording and CD in the spring of 2024, to coincide with the unveiling in Washington, DC of a World War I memorial whose central feature will be a sculpture titled “A Soldier’s Journey.”

This recording project has already been partially funded by the prestigious Alice M. Ditson Fund and the Musica Viva NY Board of Directors. We are now excited to announce a matching grant from a Musica Viva NY Board member. Every dollar you donate up to $20,000 until May 31, 2023 will be matched, for up to $40,000, to double your impact!

For more information about the project and how to support it visit our website at www.musicaviva.org.