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Gatherings of more than 10 people have been banned, and here in Seattle we've been ordered to stay at home, but I will bring the show to you! I will be doing one song, so the time commitment is not big, but I may do larger shows as I create them. Starting Sunday, March 29 I will be recording the ten songs in my "Schubert Scraps" show one at a time. Go over to Facebook and like Paper Puppet Opera's page, then it will prompt you when we go live.
Miss the show? Not on Facebook? No big deal, check here for the videos.
This Sunday, April 5 I will perform Schubert's song Nachthymne, English translation below
Miss the show? Not on Facebook? No big deal, check here for the videos.
This Sunday, April 5 I will perform Schubert's song Nachthymne, English translation below
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Nachthymne
Hinüber wall' ich, Und jede Pein Wird einst ein Stachel Der Wollust sein. Noch wenig Zeiten, So bin ich los, Und liege trunken Der Lieb' im Schooß. Unendliches Leben Wogt mächtig in mir; Ich schaue von oben Herunter nach dir. An jenem Hügel Verlischt dein Glanz Ein Schatten bringet Den kühlenden Kranz. O! sauge, Geliebter, Gewaltig mich an, Daß ich entschlummern Und lieben kann. Ich fühle des Todes Verjüngende Flut, Zu Balsam und Aether Verwandelt mein Blut. Ich lebe bei Tage Voll Glauben und Muth, Und sterbe die Nächte In heiliger Glut. -- Poem by Novalis |
Hymn to the Night
I shall pass over, and all pain will become a stab of pleasure. Very soon I shall be freed and lie drunk in the bosom of love. Eternal life surges powerfully within me; I gaze down on you from above. Your radiance fades on yonder hill, shadow brings a cooling wreath. Beloved, draw me powerfully in, that I may sleep and love. I feel the rejuvenating tide of death, my blood is changed to balm and ether. By day I live full of faith and courage; at night I die in the sacred fire. |
A scene in progress. Check out those Klimt-esque rocks!
This is probably my favorite Schubert song ever, or darn near. I knew the basic translation of it through the music alone before looking it up. I heard a voice in meditation once say "Your love sets the church of my soul on fire," and that line came back to me when I heard this song for the first time. What the heck does that even mean? Society and religion often aim to tell us how to love, making us think that we know what to expect, what love should be like. Sometimes though, if we're lucky, we can experience a love that destroys all expectations, all rules, all boundaries. This song is about such a love. You can hear how chorale like the opening is, this sets the scene for the church, but this music quickly rattles apart and the church is destroyed. Nature takes its place as the soul flies out in search of her beloved. Or so this is my conception of this piece in puppet form. The soul's quest takes her underground after finding her lover's profile in the shape of a hill. She flies through roots and rocks before coming to the ever darkening city of the night where, eventually, she finds the window to eternal union with her beloved in death.
This is, granted, a rather erotic poem and the music does this eroticism justice. Listen to the rising bass line toward the end, full of yearning and excitement. This moment still gives me goosebumps. I just wish I could have made the backing track louder there. Well, maybe I'll fuss with it some more later. That said, this eroticism is not going to be at all obvious to kids, and the puppets are kid friendly, so go ahead and let them watch if they want. If you want to listen to a swell recording of this song sung by Elly Ameling with Dalton Baldwin on piano you can here. Read more about this song here.
This song opened up the world of Novalis' poetry to me, which is fantastic! He wrote a series of Night Hymns, of which this is only one, and Schubert did set a couple of the others. These Night Hymns are really all about shadow work, about diving into your deepest darkness and transforming it. One of the things I love so much about delving so deeply into Schubert's songs is finding all the poetry that inspired them, and boy oh boy, what a treasure trove that is!
This is, granted, a rather erotic poem and the music does this eroticism justice. Listen to the rising bass line toward the end, full of yearning and excitement. This moment still gives me goosebumps. I just wish I could have made the backing track louder there. Well, maybe I'll fuss with it some more later. That said, this eroticism is not going to be at all obvious to kids, and the puppets are kid friendly, so go ahead and let them watch if they want. If you want to listen to a swell recording of this song sung by Elly Ameling with Dalton Baldwin on piano you can here. Read more about this song here.
This song opened up the world of Novalis' poetry to me, which is fantastic! He wrote a series of Night Hymns, of which this is only one, and Schubert did set a couple of the others. These Night Hymns are really all about shadow work, about diving into your deepest darkness and transforming it. One of the things I love so much about delving so deeply into Schubert's songs is finding all the poetry that inspired them, and boy oh boy, what a treasure trove that is!
Here's a video from Bach's wedding cantata BWV 202, Weichet nur betrübte Schatten. Singing and puppetry by Juliana Brandon
Juliana Brandon is also available to bring this small puppet theater to your school, daycare, or party.
She brings all necessary technology, all you need to do is turn out the lights (though the show can also be performed in full sunlight with amazing clarity.) This Bach cantata is ready to hit the road and brings 20 minutes of enchantment to young and old alike. Juliana will also talk to your audience afterwards about the puppets, the music, and her process, and even explain a bit about how the magic works. Great fun for curious kids, and a wonderful way to introduce them to the world of classical vocal music and to the art of shadow puppetry.
Custom puppet pieces can also be created to fit your theme or curriculum.
See information on rates here.
She brings all necessary technology, all you need to do is turn out the lights (though the show can also be performed in full sunlight with amazing clarity.) This Bach cantata is ready to hit the road and brings 20 minutes of enchantment to young and old alike. Juliana will also talk to your audience afterwards about the puppets, the music, and her process, and even explain a bit about how the magic works. Great fun for curious kids, and a wonderful way to introduce them to the world of classical vocal music and to the art of shadow puppetry.
Custom puppet pieces can also be created to fit your theme or curriculum.
See information on rates here.