Caplan
The Big Deception
lyrics by Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza
soprano, mezzo, cello, piano
The Big Deception
Music by Oliver Caplan
Lyrics by Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza
Commissioned by White Snake Projects
Instrumentation:
Soprano (Irene), Mezzo (Ivete), Cello, Piano
Duration: 10’00
Year: 2019
Program Note:
is music sets the story of Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza, as told in their own words. Irene was approved for a United States Green Card and instructed to return to her native Brazil for her fnal interview. Irene’s daughter, Ivete Souza, bought her mother a roundtrip plane ticket to Rio, and back to their home in Boston. However, upon visiting the American embassy in Rio, Irene was informed that she had overstayed her American visitor’s visa and couldn’t enter the United States for ten years, even though she had already been approved for a green card. At age 79, she was separated from her daughter and grandchildren, alone in Brazil without her family. Faced with a decade apart, Irene worried she wouldn’t live long enough to return to America.
Irene persevered for ten long years. At age 89 she was able to return to America, reunite with her family and meet her great grandchildren. Yet she can never recover that lost decade.
May this work be a reminder that immigrants are people with families; that the application of policy should allow room for heartful human understanding; and most of all, that we should live each day to its fullest.
The Big Deception
Irene
e letter said, “You are approved
For a green card
Go back to Rio for your interview
And get your green card.”
e American embassy man in Rio said,
“You overstayed your visitor's visa
You can’t go back to America for ten years.”
Ivete
I bought my mother a round trip ticket
To Rio and back to Boston
I put her on the plane to Brazil
To get her green card
But she was approved for a green card
We didn't know she had to renew
Her visitor's visa
But the letter you sent said
I was to come to get my green card
I'm seventy-nine
My family is in America
How will I survive by myself?
“We don’t care about you,” he said.
“Don’t care, don’t care, don’t care”
We believed what the letter said
We believed what the government said
I am guilty
I bought my mother that ticket
I put her on that plane
I sent her into exile
I waited it out
Year after year after year
Alone in one room
With a small fan
Sometimes the temperatures
Reached over 100 degrees
Sometimes we had no running water
I sent money every month
For a girl to help my mother
To buy her medicines
And her food
I gave up hope
My heart cracked open
I would die
Without seeing my children
Or grandchildren whom I raised
e grandchildren she raised
Had children of their own
Who grew up never knowing
eir great grandmother, their Biza
I told my neighbors
“Don’t tell my daughter I’m sick
Sick with grief, sick for the baby smell
Of great grandchildren I’ve never met
When I die, call my daughter
Ask her for money to bury me”
I returned to America
When I was 89 years old
My name is Irene Da Silva
I hope to live till I’m over 100 years old
To make up for lost time
e cracks in my heart
Forever a reminder of separation
And the importance of family
We are survivors
I gave her an iPad
To help her live
I Facetimed her every night
For ten years, we never missed a night
I had to keep her alive
She returned to America
When she was 89 years old
My name is Ivete Souza
We are survivors
-Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza
!e Big Deception
Lyrics by Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza Music by Oliver Caplan
I put her on the plane to Bra zil, - Bra zil, - Bra zil - to
The American embassy man in Rio said:
green card. We did n't - know she had to re new - her vis i - tor's - vi sa.
told my neigh bors, - "don't tell my daugh -ter I'm
grand child - ren - I've nev er - met.
When I die call my daugh ter - ask her for mon ey - to
for ten years, we nev er - missed
a night, I