Ben Yarmolinsky, music

Charles Bernstein, Libretto

Blind Witness: Three American Operas

published by Factory School, 2008

order book here

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.




This is a promo/excerpt produced and directed by Grethe Holby, from the original production in December1990.
Rondi Charlston - soprano, James Javore - baritone, Suzanna Guzman - mezzo, Lynn Randolph - tenor. Elizabeth Rodgers and Steve Tyler played synthesizers; Robert Black conducted.

Allan Kozinn reviewed the show for The New York Times

---

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

1. The Inquisitor (2:52): mp3
   
2. Songs of Crossed Purposes (4:15): mp3
   
3. Men's Talk (5:59): mp3
   
4. The Subject (3:25): mp3
   
5. Mommy (3:03): mp3
   
6. 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
• Video: Andrew Reichsman



---

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 —  Darynn Zimmersoprano
• 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



The Subject
• reading: Bernstein & Yarmolinsky
• SilvieJensen, 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.



The Lenny Paschen Show
reading: Bernstein
Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano
Yarmolinsky, vocal and guitar





---

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"




These recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the copyright holders.

(C) 2008 by Ben Yarmolinsky and Charles Bernstein.
Distributed by PENNSound.