Years before composer Adam Guettal picked up 2 Tony Awards for Light In The Plaza in 2005, he had written a stunning song cycle called Myths and Hymns. Originally known as Saturn Returns, Guettal based in on Greek myth and and lyrics found in an antique hymnal, and it concerns the relationship of humans to gods, past and present.
Sadly when it was first performed Off-Broadway, at the Public Theater on March 31, 1998 it closed after 16 performances. Then Myths and Hymns received its first narrative treatment, written and directed by Elizabeth Lucas (Clear Blue Tuesday), in February 2012 at Prospect Theater in New York City . This marks the first production of the show in New York since its premiere at the Public .
In 1999 Nonesuch records released a cast recording, and the performers on the recording include the off-Broadway cast, and also include others who were not in that production. The track below is Pegasus and features Billy Porter, Lynette DuPre and Audra McDonald .
At the time the New York Times wrote . The simple dramas enacted in “Myths and Hymns” are sometimes only tangentially connected to the lyrics, but the universal expressions of hope, fear, yearning and desire in the songs will strike deeply sounding chords.
It’s a breathtaking song cycle that one never forget after hearing, so we are thrilled that MasterVoices will present a new digital film series inspired by Myths and Hymns. Conceived by artistic director Ted Sperling, it will be divided into four chapters, premiering January 13, February 24, April 14, and May 26.
The first edition of the digital series, titled Flight, premieres January 13 at 6:30pm ET on the MasterVoices YouTube channel. It will include the songs “Prometheus,” performed by Anderson & Roe; “Saturn Returns: The Flight,” performed by Joshua Henry; “Icarus,” performed by Mykal Kilgore and Norm Lewis; “Migratory V,” performed by Julia Bullock, Renée Fleming, and Kelli O’Hara; “Pegasus,” performed by Jose Llana, Capathia Jenkins, and Elizabeth Stanley; and “Jesus, the Mighty Conqueror,” performed by Take 6.
THE PERFORMANCE WILL BE HOSTED FOR FREE ON THEIR YOUTUBE CHANNEL : https://www.youtube.com/c/mastervoicesny (link goes live at 6:30pm on Wednesday, 1/13/2021)
Labels: 2021, Adam Guettal, Mastervoices, Myths and Hyns
