The Letter 2009

Synopsis
Artists

Opera’s classic ingredients: lust, adultery, and revenge…

…dished up noir style. A hard-boiled dame cooks up her own little Singapore fling. Her double-crossing lover gets a lethal dose of lead as a parting gift. Her sap of a husband helps her get away with murder. Almost.

Music By

Paul Moravec

Libretto By

Terry Teachout

Scene I: The Murder

The opera is set in British Malaya between the world wars. The weather is hot and humid at all times.

The Crosbies’ bungalow. Six gunshots are heard in the darkness. Leslie Crosbie is discovered standing over the body of Geoff Hammond. She telephones John Withers, a colonial official, and asks him to come at once, bringing her husband Robert.

Scene II: The Confession

The same, two hours later. Withers, Robert Crosbie, and Howard Joyce, Robert’s lawyer, have arrived. Leslie tells them that she shot Geoff when he tried to rape her. Joyce explains that they will have to leave for Singapore, where Leslie will be arraigned on a charge of murder; he is puzzled by the fact that several gunshots seem to have been fired while Geoff was lying on the ground. Leslie claims to have been so upset that she can’t remember exactly what happened.

Scene III: The Letter

Howard Joyce’s law office in Singapore, two weeks later. Joyce tells Robert that he expects Leslie will be acquitted, especially now that Hammond was known to be living with a Chinese woman. Ong Chi Seng, Joyce’s law clerk, tells him that Leslie sent a compromising letter to Hammond on the day of the murder. He shows Joyce a copy of the letter and says that it will cost ten thousand dollars to buy the original from Hammond’s mistress.

Scene IV: The Interview

Leslie’s jail cell an hour later. At first Leslie denies having written the letter, but then admits it is genuine. In a flashback, the actual events are portrayed: Leslie killed Geoff after he told her that he was leaving her for his Chinese mistress. Leslie pleads with Joyce to buy the letter in order to save her life. He reluctantly agrees to seek Robert’s permission to do so.

Scene V: The Club

The Singapore Club, late that afternoon. Joyce tells Robert about the letter, explaining its significance but not showing him the copy. Robert agrees to pay whatever is necessary to purchase it.

Scene VI: The Woman

Joyce’s office, later that night. Ong Chi Seng arrives with Hammond’s mistress. After some hesitation, she agrees to sell the letter.

Scene VII: The Verdict

A Singapore courtroom, the next day. The judge asks the foreman whether the jury has reached a verdict. To Leslie, the foreman appears to be the blood-soaked Geoff Hammond, who finds her guilty and condemns her to death by hanging. The real-life jury announces that she has been acquitted.

Scene VIII: The Truth

The bungalow, that same evening. Robert announces that he plans to move with Leslie to Sumatra, where he has found an estate for sale. Joyce informs him that his savings were wiped out in order to purchase the letter, and Robert demands to see it. When he finds out what really happened, he tells Leslie that he loves her in spite of what she has done. “With all my heart,” she replies, “I still love the man I killed!”

Synopsis

Scene I: The Murder

Scene II: The Confession

Scene III: The Letter

Scene IV: The Interview

Scene V: The Club

Scene VI: The Woman

Scene VII: The Verdict

Scene VIII: The Truth

Artists

Patricia Racette

Patricia Racette

Anthony Michaels-Moore

Anthony Michaels-Moore

James Maddalena

James Maddalena

Roger Honeywell

Roger Honeywell

Keith Jameson

Keith Jameson

Mika Shigematsu

Mika Shigematsu

Rodell Rosel

Rodell Rosel

Sung Eun Lee

Sung Eun Lee

Andrew Stenson

Andrew Stenson

Jason Slayden

Jason Slayden

Kevin Ray

Kevin Ray

Lucas Harbour

Lucas Harbour

Patrick Summers

Patrick Summers

Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Kent

Hildegard Bechtler

Hildegard Bechtler

Tom Ford

Tom Ford

Duane Schuler

Duane Schuler

Susanne Sheston

Susanne Sheston

The Letter 2009