The Vocal Arts & Opera program presents "Opera Scenes"
Friday, June 11 | 7:00 p.m. (PDT)
Closed captioning available
The Vocal Arts & Opera program presents an evening of opera scenes featuring innovative video editing, sound design, and visual effects to perform contemporary libretti for the virtual stage.
This event originally aired on Friday, June 11, 2021.
27
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
The coal's runout.
GRIS PAINTING 1
The coal's runout.
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
The zeppelins drop bombs in the Luxembourg Gardens, Luxembourg Gardens. Our teeth chatter, chatter, chatter.
GRIS PAINTING 3
She's burned all the pages.
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
Failed pages, Manuscript pages. Manuscript pages. Writes more and more, More to be burned. Nobody wants Gertrude's pages.
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
She said no war. She said no war. She writes and writes, writes more. With the bombs outside rattling their door, War is War is War. War is War is War.
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
The bombs explode a block away, dropping in the Luxembourg Gardens, Luxembourg Gardens. Our teeth chatter chatter chatter.
ALICE
Your work is here in Paris. Writing, Writing, Writing
GERTRUDE
Paris is a pale absinthe.
ALICE
I do not like violence. You do not like change. So there is no war!
GERTRUDE
But there is a war!
ALICE
Poor Love, please write.
GERTRUDE
Hold me, Alice.
GERTRUDE
What is the answer? What is the answer?
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
Take us away. Take us away.
GERTRUDE
Is there not a bag of coal to be found in all of Paris?
No way, no way for a genius to live!
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GERTRUDE
Oh boy, oh boy.
My name is Gertrude Stein.
DOUGHBOY
You hear the zeppelins? Stay inside!
GERTRUDE
My partner is shivering. I am an American writer and the blood in my hands is frozen blue. Can I beg you. Beg your helping a fellow countryman and his wife.
DOUGHBOY
Huh?
GERTRUDE
Two bags of coal.
Oh boy, oh boy. And please, a cigarette? Or two?
GERTRUDE
We're dying for some eggs.
DOUGHBOY
Eggs?
GERTRUDE
My wife makes the most perfect omelettes. She'll cook, she'll cook for you.
DOUGHBOY
Let me see what I can find.
GERTRUDE
He'll never return with the eggs. Another boy lost, Doughboy lost. A parade of young men from an ocean away.
Lost boys, away away. March away away. Lost boys, away away. March away away. An ocean away. Changed to their marrow. Lost boys. Lost boys. Lost boys.
We see the revelation on Gertrude's face that she can be of help, can make a difference in these boys lives.
Lost boys. Find your way down the rue de Fleurs. To a place where you can be found, Found!
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GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
Have you visited rue de Fleurs? Knock knock knock the door marked "Twenty Seven." Saturday knock, Saturday knock, Saturday knock.
Knock knock. Knock knock.
ALICE
Are we safe safe safe are we safe?
GRIS PAINTING 1, 2, & 3
Keep us safe safe safe safe keep us safe
ALICE
Are we safe safe safe safe are we safe?
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Pepito
PEPITO
Woof! Woof!
(whining) Hmm… Hmm…
(howling) Ah—oo!
Some days, I can smell my old life.
All those roses Papa bought for Mama…
And Abuela’s tamales!
And the grrr—ruff!—sweaty—grrr—ruff!—mailman?! Grrr…
I can smell my old life!
Where is it now?
(howling) Ah—oo!
My mouth waters!
Smoke mixed with carnitas!
Oh!! Some days I can smell my old life!
Ah—oo!
I can smell—
(sniffing) —money?
And (sniffing) sadness…
DAVID
I don’t know why you’re so upset.
We were supposed to meet at 5.
CAMILA
It’s 5:45.
5:45, David!
I thought we both wanted this.
DAVID
Honey, I told you,
the market was crazy!
I’m sorry!
CAMILA
You’re always sorry!
PEPITO
I smell… compromisos rotos.
DAVID
Excuse me, what time do you close?
ANGIE
In fifteen minutes.
CAMILA
Ay, Dios mio!
ANGIE
Mmm… fourteen minutes.
DAVID
We’ll come back tomorrow.
CAMILA
I can’t come back tomorrow!
My client goes to court!
You know that!
DAVID
I know.
Can we see all of your puppies, quickly?
ANGIE
The puppies are overstimulated.
DAVID
Ha! So am I.
ANGIE
Is this funny to you?
DAVID
…No! No, I—
ANGIE
These are puppies! Rescues!
Think of what these puppies have been through?
Think of all the pain they have faced!
Please show some respect?
Have some compassion, will you? Please?!
It's late in the day!
They don't want to play!
They have been completely inundated!
The puppies are overstimulated!
DAVID
I’m sorry.
CAMILA
He is.
He’s always sorry.
ANGIE
Can you always be sorry?
ANGIE
I can show you a dog.
There.
PEPITO
(whining) Hmm hm hm hm…
¿Hola?
CAMILA
Hmm…
DAVID
Hmm?
ANGIE
What do you think?
PEPITO
¿Qué piensas?
CAMILA
Hmm…
PEPITO
(cocking his head) Hmm?
CAMILA
I was just hoping for something cuter…
PEPITO
I can be cuter.
CAMILA
Littler…?
(Everyone stares at PEPITO. DAVID’s phone rings. DAVID looks at his cell phone.)
CAMILA
David.
DAVID
I have to take this call.
CAMILA
David!
ANGIE
Sir! No phones!
DAVID
It’s work—sorry!
CAMILA & PEPITO
Ay, David…
ANGIE
You get four minutes alone with the dog.
CAMILA
Really?
ANGIE
To see if there is chemistry.
CAMILA
Wait—I don’t even know his name.
ANGIE
And… go.
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CAMILA
Hello, dog.
My name is Camila.
PEPITO
Camila.
CAMILA
My husband and I came here for a puppy, but we could settle for the right dog. Are you the right dog?
Are you the one?
PEPITO
I don’t know.
I love you.
CAMILA
It’s important to know in advance.
It’s important to know in advance if you are the right dog.
There is nothing to gain from an imperfect match.
Trust me, I know. I have been wrong before.
PEPITO
What is “wrong”?
I love you.
CAMILA
Will you bark all night long?
Pee inside?
Will you bite?!
Will you tear up the rug?
Chew on mulch?
Do you drool?
It’s important to know in advance.
It’s important to know in advance if you are the right dog.
Are you the one?
PEPITO
What is “right”?
I love you.
Do you know how to fetch? I love you! Dig a hole? Te quiero! Can you sit?
Will you heel?
Walk a child home from school?
PEPITO
In the past, I would walk Diego home from school.
CAMILA
Not now, but in the future?
PEPITO
I can still smell him.
I don’t know where he is.
I miss him.
CAMILA & PEPITO
Look, are you the right dog? What is “right”? Would you tell me if not? I love you. Would you know? Te quiero. Would you even know?! ¡Te quiero! Is there a right dog?
How would I know?
PEPITO
Don’t cry. No llores.
CAMILA
Dios, what am I doing?
I’m going loca.
Come.
Come here, dog.
Come here, pobrecito!
PEPITO
Woof!
CAMILA
Ven acá.
PEPITO
Woof woof!
CAMILA
¡Ven aca!
CAMILA
You speak Spanish!
PEPITO
¡Guau Guau!
CAMILA
Mucho gusto.
PEPITO
¡El gusto es mío
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ANGIE
That’s four minutes.
CAMILA
He likes it when I speak Spanish!
DAVID
I love it when you speak Spanish.
It reminds me how hot you are!
PEPITO
Woof.
CAMILA
David, look at this dog!
DAVID
He’s cute.
But we want a puppy, right?
CAMILA & ANGIE & PEPITO
The puppies are overstimulated!
CAMILA
David, watch! He speaks Spanish, just like his Mama!
Dame besitos, perrito!
PEPITO
¡Con gusto!
DAVID
Dogs don’t speak Spanish, Camila.
CAMILA
Why shouldn’t they speak Spanish?
PEPITO
¿Por qué no?
DAVID
Dogs don’t understand language.
Come here, stupid.
PEPITO
¡Oye!
ANGIE
Sir!
CAMILA
No!
You must be kind to him.
You must be kind to our dog.
DAVID
I’m sorry!
He doesn’t know.
CAMILA
He makes me feel… something…!
ANGIE
I know this look.
DAVID
You’re glowing. You are glowing.
CAMILA
I can breathe again.
ANGIE & DAVID
She’s glowing! She’s glowing!
CAMILA
I feel so full I could die right now—
My heart is so full, I am alive!
The air feels like magic!
DAVID & ANGIE & PEPITO
Magic…?
CAMILA
I am so full I could die right now!
My heart is so full!
I am afraid!
I am excited!
My skin tingles.
PEPITO
Ah-oo!!!
I can smell destiny!
Destiny!
CAMILA
I’ll name you Pepito!
CAMILA & PEPITO
Pepito!!!
CAMILA
¡Pepitititito!
PEPITO
¡Guau guau!
CAMILA
¡Pepititititititititito!
PEPITO
Woof woof!
DAVID
Pahpitoe?
PEPITO
Woof.
CAMILA
Listen...
His name is Pepito!
Pepito!
CAMILA & PEPITO
Pepito!
DAVID
Got it. Puhpitoe.
CAMILA & PEPITO
Dios.
ANGIE
Wait! Hold up!
There’s an interview.
I have to screen you.
You have to be screened.
CAMILA
But we have chemistry!