Next week I am going to be starting rehearsals for the production of a new show by Canadian composer, David MacIntyre entitled Love In Public.  It is a full-length work in two acts, categorized as a cabaret.  The text uses all 44 of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese.  The words are glorious and they tell the story of Elizabeth and Robert's love affair.  It was a thrilling and exciting time for both of them and their growing passion was kept utterly secret; hence the title of the work.  Sonnets from the Portuguese was meant to mislead the reader into thinking that they were translations from the original Portuguese, rather than her real-life romance.  Elizabeth was forty years old when Robert came into her life and swept her off her feet.  She had been sickly and weak most of her life and lived under a strict father who she knew would disown her were she to marry.  Her marriage to Robert was done in secret, and indeed, when discovered, her father and her brothers treated her with scorn and she was disinherited from the family fortune.  But Elizabeth and Robert's love survived and their passion inspired many beautiful poems.  These sonnets tell Elizabeth's awe and wonder that someone as alive and youthful as Robert should love her.  At times her wonder turns to fear at the thought of losing him or the awful idea that had circumstances been different, she would never have met him at all.  But this glorious book of sonnets ends on a happy note.  In fact, there is such joy throughout the entire work that one would think it could become monotonous.  But our dear Elizabeth has so many ways of telling her joy of being discovered, loved and brought back to life that one can scarcely become bored.  It is a beautiful tale.

Composer, David MacIntyre has set the work for four voices (SATB) and piano.  They do not challenge one's vocal technique, as they primarily sit within speaking range, but they do offer a wide variety of rhythmic challenges, especially for the piano and range from simple waltz rhythms to more complicated tangos.  Each voice has solos and ensembles so we all have a huge amount of words to commit to memory.

I'm looking forward to meeting with the stage director, Peter Jorgensen, next week to find out what his vision is for the piece as a whole.  I know that we will have two dancers with us as well, but at this point I can't even begin to imagine how they will be incorporated.  I was fortunate enough to do Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Peter a few years ago and was very touched by the way he is able to use simplicity for great impact.  I am really excited to get back into the theatre again after what seems like far too long!  

I'll be back again next week with updates on how things are coming along and I can't wait to share with you the exciting discoveries that are sure to arise!  For now I must get back to committing these 44 sonnets to memory.  They are so beautiful that I'm sure they will stay with me forever!