The first scene in the second act of my opera "The Second Sight" - a mythical tale about the spiritual connections between generations of women - in which we first meet the child character Sashatya, whose fate lies at the heart of the opera's drama.

As the scene begins, Sashatya "shush"-es an instrumental interlude and welcomes the audience into her world. Though Sashatya is evidently a young child (played by an adult vocalist), she still speaks only in baby babble. While there is very little of what she says that has a clear meaning, we can still understand her emotions and intentions through the variety of semi-sung, semi-spoken gestures she produces.

The playful accompaniment - made of recorded sounds from a variety of toy and found instruments - similarly helps to convey her thoughts, and brings to life the expansive imaginary world in her mind.

Excerpted from the premiere of the full opera, presented at the UU Church of Buffalo on June 26th, 2021. Jessie Downs is Sashatya.

Sashatya's Soliloquy (Act II Scene 1 from The Second Sight)

Libro di fiammelle e ombre (2017)
for six solo voices

incorporating madrigals by Jacques Arcadelt

EXAUDI / James Weeks

Libro di fiammelle e ombre

I want every gun we have to fire on that man

Squarepushers (for vocal quintet)

Live recording of a performance with Amy Wood and Jamie McVinnie given at St Mary-at-Hill, London on 23 March 2018, recorded by John Croft (http://chiaro-audio.uk). 
I am singing 1st soprano (solo verse 1:48-3:10).

FRANCOIS COUPERIN Motet pour le jour de Pâques

Performed by members of ELISION Ensemble:
Daryl Buckley, Kathryn Schulmeister, Carl Rosman, Joshua Hyde, Ben Marks

Mixed and mastered by Justin Smith at Mammoth Studios

Score Follow: https://youtu.be/nDz2xMKlID8

ℬooks II III VI VII XI XVII XXIV XXIX XLI

J.S.Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott

Presence

Composer, vocalist, director, and pedagogue. Currently based in Buffalo NY.

Sashatya's Soliloquy (Act II Scene 1 from The Second Sight)

Jessie Downs

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