First scene of my opera Pennsylvania. It is based on The Valley of FEar by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Unfortunately, the voices  just sing 'AH' rather than words.

Here is the synopsis for the first scene

Time: 1875
Place: North-East Pennsylvania, USA

Act 1

Scene 1    The Station at Vermissa 

At Vermissa station, a mining town in the mountainous North East Pennsylvania, USA, it is early evening. Snow covers the ground.  Desolate pastures stretch into the distance to snow covered, bare-backed mountains.  In the middle distance, winches and windlasses twist and turn, clank and groan.  Flames from furnaces roar and leap into the twilight.  It is early evening.  A crowd of people are gathered in small groups in the station talking and laughing. Two policemen sit on a bench and watch the activities. A train pulls in and stops.  People disembark from the train and some of them are greeted by members of the crowd.  Among those disembarking is an Irishman, John O’Donnell. He is a fresh-complexioned, middle-sized man in his mid-thirties. He is waiting for someone and spends time joking good naturedly to the people around him.  At last he moves away from the crowd, pulls out a bulky envelope from his pocket and studies it thoughtfully.  

Meanwhile night has fallen.  The flames of the furnaces continue to leap into the darkness.  A nearby windlass creaks ominously.  Figures scurry.  The policemen comment that this is what hell must be like.  O’Donnell replaces the envelope in his pocket and from the back of his waist pulls out a large revolver.  He spins the revolver, checking that it is fully loaded and restores it to his waist.  When they see his revolver the policemen warn O’Donnell but he responds angrily and tells them that he will be staying at James Morris’s, if they want him. He arrogantly adds that they can tell their Chief of Police too.  The policemen return to their seats.  Miners gather round him and congratulate him on his fearless attitude to the police.  One of them is Scanlan who discovers that O’Donnell is a member of a national union of workers, known as the Eminent Order of Freemen.  Scanlan says he will find other Union men in the area.  He tells O’Donnell that he should see the boss of the local Lodge of the Union, Boss McGinty, as soon as possible.  As Scanlan leaves James Morris arrives.  He has been expecting O’Donnell, who is to stay with him.  O’Donnell confirms that he is a member of the Chicago branch of the Eminent Order of Freemen.  Morris, who is also a member of the Union, tells O’Donnell that the branch of the Eminent Order of Freemen in Vermissa is known as the Scowrers and, unlike other branches in the country, here they are dangerous criminals.  Morris only belongs to the Scowrers because it is safer than not belonging.  O’Donnell tells Morris that he left Chicago because he killed a man so he is not scared of the Scowrers.  Morris’s daughter, Ettie, who has been shopping, comes by. There is an instant attraction between Ettie and O’Donnell.  Ettie leaves and Morris comments that there will be trouble for O'Donnell as Baldwin, one of the heads of the Scowrers, believes he is engaged to Ettie. Morris and O'Donnell leave for Morris's house. The two policeman comment on the depravity of Vermissa.

Pennsylvania Act 1 Scene 1

Solomons: Ruth

Ruth

Children's opera based on the ten plagues in the story of Exodus, from the bible.

Brian Solomons