“Where There is Light” performed

Richard D. Russell — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:22:00 +0000

As time allows, I have been collaborating with lyricist Emily Thompson over the last few years on an original musical centered on Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld. The song “Where There is Light” was performed as part of the Mannes College Extension Division’s summer opera workshop a few summers ago, and I was delighted to see it programmed¬†again¬†as¬†part¬†of¬†the¬†2009¬†summer¬†workshop.

I was even more delighted that the lyricist, Emily Thompson, performed the work. I was caught unprepared and had only my phone camera with me, so apologies for the quality of the pics! This is Emily singing to the fine tenor, Francisco Santiago, pleading to leave the underworld and return to “where there is light.”

The¬†performance¬†was¬†at the St. Paul and St. Andrew Methodist Church on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, July 10 2009.

The post “Where There is Light” performed appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

Songs from Hades with Photos

Richard D. Russell — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:17:00 +0000

Emily Thompson, one of the directors of the summer Mannes Opera Workshop, approached me about writing some songs for this season’s performances. She’s a fine lyricist and had the inspired idea of working with the mythology of Hades and Persephone. She sent me several different lyrics, two of which we staged this past week, July 19 & 20, at St. Paul and St. Andrew Methodist Church on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Here we have two pics (click for larger size): First, Francisco Santiago as Hades’s butler tries to convince Persephone (Chiara Issa) to Try A Little Taste. Next, Persephone ask Hades (Thad Ferguson) to let her return to the living world, as she must be Where There Is Light.

Will there be more to come from this project? Stay tuned!

The post Songs from Hades with Photos appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

Richard D. Russell » Francisco Santiago

“Where There is Light” performed

Songs from Hades with Photos