Special Thanks to Chris for writing this piece and making it widely available on Free Music Archive as well as YouTube

Scene: a cozy, darkened bedroom in the middle of the day. Sounds of the city float in through the opened window. A woman, Amy, lies in a hospice bed. Her husband, Sam, is bedside. It is the appointed hour of her death.

AMY

Are you there?

SAM

Yes I’m right here

AMY

Are you there?

SAM

Yes I’m right here

AMY

Where are we, Sam?

SAM

Home

AMY

One more hour, maybe

Take my hand

SAM

Yes

AMY

Don’t be frightened

I remember running in the park with you

You held my hand I wanted to let go

To run free

And you had to let me go

You are ever right here with me

Even in the tightest spots

Time to run

SAM

No

Are you there?

Are you, Amy

Please be there

Please be, Amy

AMY

Sam, let me go – now

Let me go

SAM

Amy

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This libretto comes out of my studying theatrical beats this week, as in, moments that make up a play. I wanted to try making a one-beat opera. Lacking any sort of focus I went to my playlist and found Cylinder Six. It gave me a perfect structure to build this monumental moment between two people. I didn’t expect to end up in tears by the time I’d finished. Read the libretto, listen to Chris’ piece then put the two together. Tell me if any of it worked for you.

Thanks for reading!

© Marianna Mott Newirth