ADRIFT
A first-of-its-kind staged choral opera, ADRIFT tells a love story through the words of queer New Englander Emily Dickinson. Featuring entirely new musical settings by Nightingale resident composers, and under the direction of Angela Yam, this hour-long theatrical experience brings to life a carefully curated selection from Dickinson’s nearly 2,000 poems. The members of Nightingale Vocal Ensemble will use all of their compositional, vocal, and dramatic capabilities to celebrate—and expand—the unique capacity for an ensemble to tell a story.
Dickinson scholar Ivy Schweitzer shared abundant insights as a consultant for the project. Her thoughts on Dickinson, her poetry, and ADRIFT are interspersed below.
Dickinson scholar Ivy Schweitzer shared abundant insights as a consultant for the project. Her thoughts on Dickinson, her poetry, and ADRIFT are interspersed below.
"Let’s be 'Adrift' in a sea of meaning. Let’s be 'Adrift' in this great world where play and meaning and ecstasy and transport are available to us." —Ivy Schweitzer
ADRIFT
WORDS BY: Emily Dickinson
MUSIC BY: Nicholas Ford, Nathan Halbur, John Haukoos, Benjamin Perry, Angela Yam
WORDS BY: Emily Dickinson
MUSIC BY: Nicholas Ford, Nathan Halbur, John Haukoos, Benjamin Perry, Angela Yam
"Great art is timeless. Our job is to read that poem and respond to it as 21st-century beings. One of the ways we can allow that to happen is not to shut down… any of the meanings that occur to us." —Ivy Schweitzer
PRODUCTION TEAM
DIRECTOR: Angela Yam
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Angelica Grau (sponsored by Passim Iguana Fund Grant)
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Benjamin Kapp Perry
MUSIC PREPARATION: Nathan Halbur
DIRECTOR: Angela Yam
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Angelica Grau (sponsored by Passim Iguana Fund Grant)
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Benjamin Kapp Perry
MUSIC PREPARATION: Nathan Halbur
"I love how singers take not just the words, but the music… and do something with it, put it together in a way that then brings a different understanding of Dickinson to us." —Ivy Schweitzer
SINGERS (sponsored by May Tam)
Chihiro Asano, Kartik Ayysola, Cara Bender, Hannah Carlson, Sarah Coffman, Nicholas Fahrenkrug, Nicholas Ford, Kristin Hagan, Nathan Halbur, Rose Hegele, Barbara Allen Hill, Daniel Esteban Lugo, Benjamin Kapp Perry, Rebekah Schweitzer, Juan Suarez, Connor Vigeant
Chihiro Asano, Kartik Ayysola, Cara Bender, Hannah Carlson, Sarah Coffman, Nicholas Fahrenkrug, Nicholas Ford, Kristin Hagan, Nathan Halbur, Rose Hegele, Barbara Allen Hill, Daniel Esteban Lugo, Benjamin Kapp Perry, Rebekah Schweitzer, Juan Suarez, Connor Vigeant
"The poems are rapturous… existential… despairing… brilliant… passionate… ecstatic." —Ivy Schweitzer
TEXTS
1. Adrift! A little boat adrift!
Angela Yam
Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?
So Sailors say — on yesterday --
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.
So angels say — on yesterday --
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat — o'erspent with gales --
Retrimmed its masts — redecked its sails --
And shot — exultant on!
2. On this wondrous sea
Benjamin Kapp Perry
On this wondrous sea
Sailing silently,
Ho! Pilot, ho!
Knowest thou the shore
Where no breakers roar --
Where the storm is o'er?
In the peaceful west
Many the sails rest --
The anchors fast --
Thither I pilot thee --
Land Ho! Eternity!
Ashore at last!
3. Wild Nights — Wild Nights!
Nicholas Ford
Wild Nights — Wild Nights!
Were I with thee
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile — the Winds --
To a Heart in port --
Done with the Compass --
Done with the Chart!
Rowing in Eden --
Ah, the Sea!
Might I but moor —
Tonight --
In Thee!
4. You said that I “was Great” — one Day --
Nathan Halbur
You said that I “was Great” — one Day --
Then “Great” it be — if that please Thee --
Or Small — or any size at all --
Nay — I’m the size suit Thee --
Tall — like the Stag — would that?
Or lower — like the Wren --
Or other heights of Other Ones
I’ve seen?
Tell which — it’s dull to guess --
And I must be Rhinoceros
Or Mouse
At once — for Thee --
So say — if Queen it be --
Or Page — please Thee --
I’m that — or nought --
Or other thing — if other thing there be --
With just this Stipulus --
I suit Thee --
5. Split the Lark — and you’ll find the Music --
Nicholas Ford
Split the Lark — and you’ll find the Music --
Bulb after Bulb, in Silver rolled —
Scantily dealt to the Summer Morning
Saved for your Ear when Lutes be old
Loose the Flood — you shall find it patent —
Gush after Gush, reserved for you —
Scarlet Experiment! Sceptic Thomas!
Now, do you doubt that your Bird was true?
6. The Sea said “Come” to the Brook --
John Haukoos
The Sea said “Come” to the Brook --
The Brook said “Let me grow” --
The Sea said “Then you will be a Sea --
I want a Brook — Come now”!
The Sea said “Go” to the Sea --
The Sea said “I am he
You cherished” — “Learned Waters --
Wisdom is stale — to Me”
7. ’Tis customary as we part
Benjamin Kapp Perry
’Tis customary as we part
A trinket — to confer --
It helps to stimulate the faith
When Lovers be afar --
’Tis various — as the various taste --
Clematis — journeying far --
Presents me with a single Curl
Of her Electric Hair --
8. ‘Twas my one Glory --
Nathan Halbur
‘Twas my one Glory --
Let it be
Remembered
I was owned of Thee --
9. She died — this was the way she died.
Angela Yam
She died — this was the way she died.
And when her breath was done
Took up her simple wardrobe
And started for the sun.
Her little figure at the gate
The Angels must have spied,
Since I could never find her
Upon the mortal side.
10. A poor — torn heart — a tattered heart --
John Haukoos
A poor — torn heart — a tattered heart --
That sat it down to rest --
Nor noticed that the Ebbing Day
Flowed silver to the West --
Nor noticed Night did soft descend --
Nor Constellation burn --
Intent upon the vision
Of latitudes unknown.
The angels — happening that way
This dusty heart espied --
Tenderly took it up from toil
And carried it to God --
There — sandals for the Barefoot --
There — gathered from the gales --
Do the blue havens by the hand
Lead the wandering Sails.
1. Adrift! A little boat adrift!
Angela Yam
Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?
So Sailors say — on yesterday --
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.
So angels say — on yesterday --
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat — o'erspent with gales --
Retrimmed its masts — redecked its sails --
And shot — exultant on!
2. On this wondrous sea
Benjamin Kapp Perry
On this wondrous sea
Sailing silently,
Ho! Pilot, ho!
Knowest thou the shore
Where no breakers roar --
Where the storm is o'er?
In the peaceful west
Many the sails rest --
The anchors fast --
Thither I pilot thee --
Land Ho! Eternity!
Ashore at last!
3. Wild Nights — Wild Nights!
Nicholas Ford
Wild Nights — Wild Nights!
Were I with thee
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile — the Winds --
To a Heart in port --
Done with the Compass --
Done with the Chart!
Rowing in Eden --
Ah, the Sea!
Might I but moor —
Tonight --
In Thee!
4. You said that I “was Great” — one Day --
Nathan Halbur
You said that I “was Great” — one Day --
Then “Great” it be — if that please Thee --
Or Small — or any size at all --
Nay — I’m the size suit Thee --
Tall — like the Stag — would that?
Or lower — like the Wren --
Or other heights of Other Ones
I’ve seen?
Tell which — it’s dull to guess --
And I must be Rhinoceros
Or Mouse
At once — for Thee --
So say — if Queen it be --
Or Page — please Thee --
I’m that — or nought --
Or other thing — if other thing there be --
With just this Stipulus --
I suit Thee --
5. Split the Lark — and you’ll find the Music --
Nicholas Ford
Split the Lark — and you’ll find the Music --
Bulb after Bulb, in Silver rolled —
Scantily dealt to the Summer Morning
Saved for your Ear when Lutes be old
Loose the Flood — you shall find it patent —
Gush after Gush, reserved for you —
Scarlet Experiment! Sceptic Thomas!
Now, do you doubt that your Bird was true?
6. The Sea said “Come” to the Brook --
John Haukoos
The Sea said “Come” to the Brook --
The Brook said “Let me grow” --
The Sea said “Then you will be a Sea --
I want a Brook — Come now”!
The Sea said “Go” to the Sea --
The Sea said “I am he
You cherished” — “Learned Waters --
Wisdom is stale — to Me”
7. ’Tis customary as we part
Benjamin Kapp Perry
’Tis customary as we part
A trinket — to confer --
It helps to stimulate the faith
When Lovers be afar --
’Tis various — as the various taste --
Clematis — journeying far --
Presents me with a single Curl
Of her Electric Hair --
8. ‘Twas my one Glory --
Nathan Halbur
‘Twas my one Glory --
Let it be
Remembered
I was owned of Thee --
9. She died — this was the way she died.
Angela Yam
She died — this was the way she died.
And when her breath was done
Took up her simple wardrobe
And started for the sun.
Her little figure at the gate
The Angels must have spied,
Since I could never find her
Upon the mortal side.
10. A poor — torn heart — a tattered heart --
John Haukoos
A poor — torn heart — a tattered heart --
That sat it down to rest --
Nor noticed that the Ebbing Day
Flowed silver to the West --
Nor noticed Night did soft descend --
Nor Constellation burn --
Intent upon the vision
Of latitudes unknown.
The angels — happening that way
This dusty heart espied --
Tenderly took it up from toil
And carried it to God --
There — sandals for the Barefoot --
There — gathered from the gales --
Do the blue havens by the hand
Lead the wandering Sails.
"What [Emily Dickinson] was doing was just so radical. Her radicalness has not been developed or noticed. She's been described as quaint… staying at home, being scared, a homebody. Far from that… she was one of the most courageous poets I know." —Ivy Schweitzer
OUR SUPPORTERS
BENEFACTOR
George Case
Madelyn King
Alice Yam
Brenton Ryan
ADVOCATE
May Tam
CHAMPION
Adrian Cho
Boston Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota
Robert Grau
Phillip Devlin
Anonymous
SUPPORTER
Alexander Droznin
Emma Newton
Kelly Xu
Rose Hegele
Janice Magee
Marie Hurd
David Story
Steve Perry
Sue Rohn
Brian Ratcliffe
FRIEND
Maura Wenk
Zachary Costanino
Arieh Sacke
Mildred Cheung
Alexandra Ghiz
Roxanna Myhrum
Leslie Simon
Karen Ratcliffe
Anonymous
Anonymous
BENEFACTOR
George Case
Madelyn King
Alice Yam
Brenton Ryan
ADVOCATE
May Tam
CHAMPION
Adrian Cho
Boston Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota
Robert Grau
Phillip Devlin
Anonymous
SUPPORTER
Alexander Droznin
Emma Newton
Kelly Xu
Rose Hegele
Janice Magee
Marie Hurd
David Story
Steve Perry
Sue Rohn
Brian Ratcliffe
FRIEND
Maura Wenk
Zachary Costanino
Arieh Sacke
Mildred Cheung
Alexandra Ghiz
Roxanna Myhrum
Leslie Simon
Karen Ratcliffe
Anonymous
Anonymous
