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A Note from the Director

by James Robinson

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In the winter of 2022, I had the great pleasure of attending a performance of an opera at Lincoln Center Theater Company — Intimate Apparel by my longtime collaborator and composer Ricky Ian Gordon and Lynn Nottage, a playwright who had reigned supreme in my theater-going memory for years.

Written for a small ensemble of singers and scored for only two pianos, this opera, based on Lynn’s play of the same name, was a bit of a revelation for me. I knew, of course, that Ricky had produced a string of brilliant operas including two for OTSL, but how was it that this was Lynn’s first foray into the operatic world? She was a natural librettist. It didn’t take long for me to reach out to Lynn and Ricky and invite them to create another opera for St. Louis. But I had one request: Please write something on an original subject, not an adaptation of an existing play. They both enthusiastically agreed. Lynn, however, suggested that she collaborate with her daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber, an early-career writer, and went so far as to offer up an idea for the libretto that Ruby had been kicking around for a few years.

This House, a story about a multi-generational family living in a Harlem brownstone, seemed like the perfect tale for a mother-daughter collaboration. Ricky was obviously inspired by this story and he quickly set to work. Over the ensuing months, This House began to emerge as a unique and passionate opera and one that inspired me and my entire creative team, all present or former inhabitants of New York City brownstones. Thoughts of former inhabitants of these buildings occupied my time living in Brooklyn and I often wondered what stories the walls could tell.

This House, with its complex family dynamics, its painfully revealed secrets, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy, past and present is an opera I have been looking forward to directing since the idea for it was hatched. It is befitting that This House, which connects history with the present day, is the world premiere for Opera Theatre’s 50th anniversary season.

A Note from the Conductor

by Daniela Candillari

Getting to work on a new opera is always a thrilling experience. We get to enjoy the incredible privilege of working with the composer and the librettist in real time. Since my student days at Indiana University, I have been a fan of Ricky Ian Gordon’s music. When Ricky expressed his wish to work with me on his newest opera, I was thrilled.

Shortly after our first conversation, Ricky shared the libretto with me and I remember being completely drawn to the story and the characters. I found myself wanting to learn more about each one of our protagonists and being completely invested in everything they were facing. The duet between Thomas and Lindon brought tears to my eyes and I simply couldn’t wait to get to see the full score and start my discovery of Ricky’s shaping of the musical world.

From the stoic hymn-like melodies in the brass in the opening, to the light and airy textures in the winds, to the returning motive that symbolizes the house as a character, Ricky’s score and orchestration are filled with details, precision, and complexity. His incredible dedication to the text and word painting are shown through quick tempo changes, which always follow the speed of the language and — in a way — remind me of the shapes of Richard Strauss’ conversation operas. When Lucy says “time has no place,” the orchestra paints the passage of time with ticking even eighth notes, starting in the strings and then gradually building throughout the orchestra, only to ease out into the nostalgic sound of harp and celesta, which then serve as a carpet for the rhythmic textures in the woodwinds. Rich, romantic harmonies and the harmonic shifts always direct our attention to the next dramatic moment, thereby making the orchestra not just the support for the stage, but an active participant in every dramatic beat.

Through all these musical elements — including stylistic shifts that encompass swing, habanera, and rag, among others — and impeccable timing of character and mood changes, I believe This House will be an evening filled with joy, curiosity, heartbreak, hope, and perhaps most importantly, a question of how we create our worlds and what roles are adopted by the spaces in which we reside. I hope you will join me in celebrating and participating in our 44th world premiere!