Tod was in New York on Thursday recording a new song, “Open Up the House,” for soprano and piano, commissioned by Opera America to celebrate the opening of the new National Opera Center in Manhattan next month. Forty new songs – a real cross-section of contemporary American music – have been created and recorded for the occasion. It will be issued in a 3-CD set.
From Tod’s Facebook page:
First page of score to “Open Up the House,” brand new song composed for the opening of the National Opera Center next month. I reworked the wonderful poems by Letha Hafferkamp (Kiddie) which she wrote for me almost 40 years ago, and which I set for my very first song cycle, “Three Songs.” I reused and further twisted some of the strange musical hooks from that earlier cycle in this new song. So writing this piece has been a wonderful experience of starting fresh with something from my beginnings…reassuring to know that it seems to have worked out. The song sounded great yesterday and should make a terrific recording.
Tae Kim, Merrin Lazyan, and myself at yesterday’s NYC recording session for “Open Up the House.” I worked closely with Tae this spring on the H.M. music theater production in Cambridge, but hadn’t worked with Merrin sinnce she starred in my SKELLIG opera premiere in the UK 4 years ago; she has recently moved back to New York. Both sounded spectacular in this difficult music, making it sound as energetic and sparkling as I had imagine. Go Tae and Merrin!!!
Opera of the Future 