Ben Yarmolinsky, music
Charles Bernstein, Libretto

Blind Witness: Three American Operas
published by Factory School, 2008


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Blind Witness News (1990)

1. International (3:42): mp3
2. Against the Menace (Jill's Aria) (3:06): mp3
3. National News (1:40): mp3
4. Jack's Blues (3:08): mp3
5. Local (2:06): mp3
6. Financial (3:19): mp3
7. The Story of a Man(2:25): mp3
8. Weather (6:54): mp3
9. Sports (2:50): mp3
10. Closing (2:26): mp3

Jill Johns — Deborah Karpel, soprano
Jack James — Nathan Resika, bass
Jane Jones— Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano
John Jacks — Aram Tchobanian, tenor
Piano — Ishmael Wallace

Recorded December, 2005 at Gödelstring, Brooklyn, New York, December 2005. Engineered by Joel Hamburger. Image: Rachel Yarmolinsky
Commissioned by American Opera Projects, where it was directed by  Grethe Holby.

The Subject (1991)

Scene One

1. The Crystal Desk (4:35): mp3
2. Scheduling Duet (2:19): mp3
3. Jenny Midnight ’s Elegy (2:39): mp3
4. Frames Analysis (5:28): mp3
5. Jenny’s Platform (2:49): mp3
6. Normalcy (6:42): mp3
7. The Introjection Tango (1:38): mp3

Scene Two

8. The Inquisitor (2:52): mp3
9. Songs of Crossed Purposes (4:15): mp3
10. Men's Talk (5:59): mp3
11. The Subject (3:25): mp3
12. Mommy (3:03): mp3
12. The Children Are Quiet, the Horses Merry, & Everyone’s Gone to Sleep (Subject’s Valediction) (3:36): mp3

Jenny Midnight, The Subject — Carla Wood, mezzo-soprano
Dr. Boris Frame, Psychoanalyst — Stephen Kalm, baritone
Prof. Daemon Dudley, Director of Social Correction, Center for Normalcy — Thomas Bogdan, tenor
Piano — Elizabeth Rogers

The Lenny Paschen Show (1992)

1. Opening Monologue (10:22): mp3
2. Monica Moolah (4:47): mp3
3. Wherever Angels Go (3:14): mp3
4. Paul Evangeline (2:19): mp3
5. Don't Get Me Wrong (3:46): mp3
6. Remember to Dance (3:19): mp3
7. Paul & Lenny (2:47): mp3
8. How Dull You Are (2:15): mp3
9. Maria Aquavita (2:16): mp3
10. The USA (3:53): mp3
11. The Show's Sensational (4:13): mp3
12. I Can't Stop (1:24): mp3
13. Conclusion (1:46): mp3

Lenny Paschen — Larry Adams, baritone
Monica Moolah —  Darryn Zimmer, soprano
Paul Evangeline — Jeff Reynolds, tenor
Maria Aquavita — Jane Shaulis, mezzo-soprano
conducted by John Yaffé

First presented by American Opera Projects, where it was directed by  Grethe Holby.

May 5, 2008 Factory School book launch
at the Medicine Show, New York

Blind Witness News
Deborah Karpel, soprano
Nathan Resika, bass
Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano
Ishmael Wallace, piano

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The Subject
reading: Bernstein & Yarmolinsky
Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano
Elizabeth Rogers, piano
note: Bernstein & Yarmolinsky read first, second half of video features Silvie Jenson's arias. Jensen plays Jenny Midnight, a psychiatric patient. In my reading with Ben, I read Jenny's part and Ben plays Dr. Boris Frame, psychoanalyst.

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ALSO ON PENNSOUND:
Ben Yarmolinsky on LINEbreak

photo:©2008 Bernstein/PennSound

Full program (28:56): mp3, RealAudio
Ben Yarmolinsky's art song rendering of the Miranda Warning in RealAudio format (1 minute, 40 seconds)

In his program composer Ben Yarmolinsky talks about the similarities and the divergences between art songs and pop songs. He also plays music from his vernacular opera Anita based on the Clarence Thomas--Anita Hill Hearings. His program was recorded in his New York City apartment in 1995.

Ben Yarmolinsky on PennSound Daily

• September 4, 2009: "Bernstein and Yarmolinsky's Blind Witness: Three American Operas"