The Highway (an opera noir in four scenes) “At Home” (excerpt)
Based on a tale by O. Henry, “The Highway” is a contemporary story of a young man’s attempt to forge an artistic life in the face of various difficulties. In this excerpt from the Prologue, James expresses his dream of making it in the music business. “[A]n impressive opera … [Beck’s] handling of dramatic relationships and superimposed time was masterful.” – The New Haven Register
Chloe and the Magical Christmas Forest (“Fa-la-la”)
Commissioned and produced by TADA! Youth Theater in New York City, “Chloe and the Magical Christmas Forest” is a musical fable. Presents appear in a magical forest only on Christmas Eve and the villagers learn a valuable lesson about the importance of giving to others. In this scene, the villagers prepare to hunt for the presents (it is followed by a reprise of “Fa-la-la” after the final curtain).
The Highway (an opera noir in four scenes) “The Highway on the Left” (excerpt)
In this excerpt from Scene 1, James is on his way to Chicago; when he meets Dave and Melody,
things do not end well. “[A]n impressive opera … [Beck’s] handling of dramatic relationships and
superimposed time was masterful.” – The New Haven Register
The Highway (an opera noir in four scenes) “The Highway on the Right” (excerpt)
In this duet from Scene 2, James and Melody fall in love. “[A]n impressive opera … [Beck’s] handling of dramatic relationships and superimposed time was masterful.” – The New Haven Register
Anne Boleyn – a chamber opera
“Anne Boleyn,” my first opera, is a short one-act based on the final moments of her life. This is a 1985 production with a reduced orchestration presented by Golden Fleece, Ltd., the Composers Chamber Theatre in New York City.