Cavatina from 9/10 (2023)

For Soprano, Flute, Guitar, and Harp (or piano)

Duration: 3:12

First Performance: Erika Meyer, vocalist; Elizabeth Kijowski, flute; Kevin Merlita, guitar Ganz Hall, Chicago, IL spring 2023

Publisher: Peermusic Classical

Program Note:

Hagen writes about the Cavatina in his book, Exploring Operafulm: “The instrumental cavatina (end title) serves several functions. Scored for (wordless) Eury with harp and guitar, it concludes the narrative strand of Eury and Orfeo (whose instrument was the lyre). The music also combines the music of Ferry Me (itself a setting of the words of Christina Rossetti’s poem Ferry Me Across the Water) heard throughout with the “Everything” theme of the final ensemble. I suppose I should have had a violin playing to round out Charon’s story, but I chose instead the softness of the flute, which I had placed throughout the score as a partner to Trina, Bibi, and the [all-female] Spirit Coro. Perhaps in my heart Charon’s work was done.”

The myths of Orpheus and Charon are interwoven with the entirely sung story of four friends dining in an Italian bistro who are fated to perish the next morning in the attack on the Twin Towers. At meal’s end, through magical realism, the restaurant’s mysterious strolling violinist is revealed to be Charon, hand extended, awaiting payment. Complying, each reconciles with death, and departs to the sounds of the next morning’s busy signals and the calls of first responders. During the end title,  the names of the souls dining are revealed to be those of mythological characters and Greek deities.