Cold Sassy Tree

Track Listings
1. Cold Sassy Tree    

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Cold Sassy Tree, Carlisle Floyd's first crack at writing a comic opera, is taken from Olive Ann Burns' delightful exploration of youthful old age and set in an America affectionately drawn. As always, he has written his own libretto, drawing upon his own theatrical instincts that have been nourished simultaneously with his music. Like five of the six Floyd operas that preceded it, Cold Sassy Tree is about American attitudes, characters - and the joy of language. Like all the work the preceded it, the music is about expressive clarity, lyricism and the value of song. According to Daniel Webster, "Floyd writes popular opera. Not pandering opera, but theater pieces strapped tight with technical virtuosity, yet sounding innocent and natural…" Carlisle Floyd comments that "In dramatizing the book for the stage, there were two undergirding themes in particular from the novel that I wanted to deal with. First was the astonishing capacity human beings possess for change! and growth, and the second was the healing and transforming power of love. When the book first appeared one reviewer aptly described Ms. Burns' novel as the story of an old man growing young and a young man growing up and the woman who, without intending to, becomes the catalyst for both. This general description holds true, I hope, for the opera as well." This recording represents a major addition to the opera discography.

Cold Sassy Tree, Music, Patricia Racette, Dean Peterson, Carlisle Floyd, Patrick Summers, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Beth Clayton, Christopher Schaldenbrand, Diane Alexander, James Holloway, Jessica Jones, John McVeigh, Joseph Evans, Judith Christian, Kerri Marcinko, Margaret Lloyd, Marie Lenormand, Matthew Kreger, Oren Gradus, Richard Sutliff, Scott Scully, American 20th/21st Century Opera, Classical, Classical Composers, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio
Cold Sassy Tree
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A marvelous experience
  • A fanstic Opera by one of our Greatest American Composers
 Cold Sassy Tree
Margaret Lloyd , Marie Lenormand , Matthew Kreger , Oren Gradus , Richard Sutliff , and Scott Scully
Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
EnglishEnglish | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
ClassicalClassical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000A139DO
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Tracks:

  1. Cold Sassy Tree

Product Description

Cold Sassy Tree, Carlisle Floyd's first crack at writing a comic opera, is taken from Olive Ann Burns' delightful exploration of youthful old age and set in an America affectionately drawn. As always, he has written his own libretto, drawing upon his own theatrical instincts that have been nourished simultaneously with his music. Like five of the six Floyd operas that preceded it, Cold Sassy Tree is about American attitudes, characters - and the joy of language. Like all the work the preceded it, the music is about expressive clarity, lyricism and the value of song. According to Daniel Webster, “Floyd writes popular opera. Not pandering opera, but theater pieces strapped tight with technical virtuosity, yet sounding innocent and natural…” Carlisle Floyd comments that “In dramatizing the book for the stage, there were two undergirding themes in particular from the novel that I wanted to deal with. First was the astonishing capacity human beings possess for change! and growth, and the second was the healing and transforming power of love. When the book first appeared one reviewer aptly described Ms. Burns' novel as the story of an old man growing young and a young man growing up and the woman who, without intending to, becomes the catalyst for both. This general description holds true, I hope, for the opera as well.” This recording represents a major addition to the opera discography.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A marvelous experience.......2006-04-07

I saw this production during its premiere at Houston Grand Opera -- what a wonderful opera this is. The recording, being a live one, has some infrequent stage noise that can distract you, but otherwise it is of great quality. Peterson, Racette and McVeigh all sing quite well, and the music is marvelous. One of my favorites is mezzo Judith Christin who sings the comic role of Effie Belle Tate with great zest. I would hope this opera enters the repetoire and more people get to see and hear it.

5 out of 5 stars A fanstic Opera by one of our Greatest American Composers.......2006-02-08

Carlisle Floyd has once again showed us all how a wonderful story about American life can be reenergized by a startlingly beautiful musical score. Its expansive underpinnings allow Bass Dean Peterson to explore all the possibilities of vocal interpretation in the character of Rucker Lattimore, which he does with great beauty. In the end of Act I with the sermon scene Peterson takes dramatic singing to a new height. Pat Racette again shows us the type of singing that takes our breath away, especially in the powerful and dramatic second act. And John Mcveigh shows us a dexterity in vocal and interpretive singing that few tenors share today. This is a long awaited, and very much appreciated addition to our American musical heritage and cudos must go again to Carlisle Floyd.

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