Glory Denied Program - Annapolis Opera

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To have such TRUTH to grasp in the storytelling of Glory Denied is something that has had an amazing impact on my life. Knowing full well that my thoughts alone would never be enough on this journey, I longed for the opportunity to cultivate and develop a relationship with composer Tom Cipullo, and author Tom Philpott, as I needed to fully understand how this TRUTH affected each of them. That relationship has now spanned ten years. Glory Denied, to this day, has been the most powerful experience I have had as a director and human. I will forever be humbled. Being born in the early 1960’s, my view of the Vietnam War was much like Jim Thompson’s son. In one of the interviews in Tom Philpott’s book, Jim Jr. said, as a nine-year-old, he did not want to think about a war, he just wanted to go outside and play. Sadly, I think that was a recurring theme for many Americans at that time. We know the history, we know the stories, but in this production, we get to live one couple’s complete story. The path that both Jim and Alyce take is difficult to process and one that I do not feel any of us can even attempt to step in. All we can do is tell it. Tom Cipullo has given us the characters of Jim and Alyce in a cast of four. Younger and Older. It is a gift as a director, and a challenge at the same time. We see them in various stages of life, but also, see them out of the reality, much like a Greek Chorus. Interviews. Interrogations. Struggling with an immense amount of paperwork that inundated daily life. Raising children. Isolation. Change. Distance. Finding hope and survival in any way possible. Freedom. Moving on. Survival. Survival is what they were both striving for, and I only strive to respect their story. A quote from Alyce Thompson: “He went through HELL, but so did I.” Dean Anthony Stage Director A Message from the Stage Director - 18 -
A Note from the Composer Glory Denied may be the first opera adapted from an oral history. As such, it presents no linear narrative. Virtually all of the dialogue in the opera is taken literally from actual statements by the real people involved. On those few occasions where, for dramatic purposes, words have been changed or statements conflated, the composer has taken care not to alter the intent of the speaker. Glory Denied has four singing roles. Jim and Alyce Thompson are each played by two singers. Thus, young Alyce presents the character as Jim remembers her from letters written long ago. Older Alyce is the person she has become since his capture. Likewise, the older Jim reflects back on his imprisonment while the younger represents his character during the ordeal. On occasion, the singers may assume the voices of other figures as well (i.e. Pentagon spokesman, Army General, Vietnamese guard, etc.). In 2001, while in residence at the MacDowell Colony, I came across the New York Times review of Tom Philpott’s Glory Denied. Immediately, I was intrigued. “Indeed, it is not too much to say,” the review by Richard Bernstein stated, “that Glory Denied …encapsulate[s] something of the moral essence of the Vietnam War and the imperishable bitterness of the war’s legacy.” For years, I had wanted to create a music drama that would address contemporary issues, one that would take ordinary people and place them in an extraordinary situation. This story, with all its suffering, heroism, selfishness, and dignity, struck me as completely and overwhelmingly operatic. Of course, crafting the libretto would present a huge number of challenges. How might I reflect the difference between Alyce and Jim’s memories of her? I settled on having two singers play twin versions of the character. One would represent Jim’s idealized vision, while the other would show what Alyce was actually doing and thinking while Jim was a prisoner. Two versions of Alyce led me to consider having Colonel Thompson portrayed by two singers. Young Jim would live through these events, while the older character would recall them from a distance. Perhaps the biggest challenge in writing the work was how to make Alyce a real, comprehensible, three-dimensional person. Some of her actions during Jim’s ordeal were nothing short of shocking. Still, when Alyce sings, her music must be so beautiful and persuasive that people will say, “Yes, if I had been alone with four children—the last born the day my husband was captured—perhaps I could have done that too.” I am no moral relativist. I believe strongly that behavior can be right or wrong. But my own memories of the time remind me that many good people did things they regret during the Vietnam era. It was as if there was a great madness in the land, and everyone, it seems, simply did the best they could. Glory Denied is, above all, the story of an American family during one our nation’s most turbulent eras. My hope is that those new to opera will find in the work’s ensembles and arias a bridge to a fascinating, complex, and formative time for our country. The opera Glory Denied is dedicated to my dear friend Steven Burke. Finally, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Tom Philpott. His generosity of spirit is truly an inspiration. Tom Cipullo Composer - 19 -
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Page 4 and 5: Welcome to Annapolis Opera’s prod
Page 6 and 7: ANNAPOLIS AREA ATTORNEYS GREENBELT
Page 8 and 9: O Solar Mio! www.mccauleylyman.com
Page 10 and 11: s FRIDAY | MARCH 15, 2024 at 7:30PM
Page 12 and 13: Ruby Society The Ruby Society The R
Page 14 and 15: TOM CIPULLO’s GLORY DENIED CAST I
Page 16 and 17: Performance FALLEN COMRADE CEREMONY
Page 20 and 21: About the Performers COLLEEN DALY |
Page 22 and 23: About the Artistic Staff CHRISTOPHE
Page 24 and 25: Special Guests TOM CIPULLO | Compos
Page 26 and 27: Annapolis Opera gratefully acknowle
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Page 32: Bridging the CONFIDENCE GAP We assi

Glory Denied Program - Annapolis Opera

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