If you live near Provo or Salt Lake City you need to see this performance!
It's a masterpiece! Written by two guys from Rexburg who were going to
school and took it into their heads to work on an opera. Genius knows no
limitations.
Last night I went to see a Deep Love: A Ghostly Folk Opera. I was blown away
from the first moment. The premise of the opera is the love between Old Bones
and Constance, thwarted by the death of Old Bones. Constance and Old Bones have
sworn to love each other forever, and Old Bones promises to watch over
Constance. Constance mourns love lost so soon, but then meets Friedrich. Friedrich
has a somewhat implied “bad-boy” history, and he starts to flirt with Constance
as if she was any girl from his past, but when he really meets her he falls for
her. Their love is what gives Constance new hope and love for life. They can
leave the grief of their respective pasts as their love grows. Florence, Friedrich’s
former lover, confronts Friedrich about his sudden change. She mocks his ideas of
love and tells him they should be together, because she knows the real Friedrich.
Constance and Friedrich grow closer together and declare their love for one
another. They promise to never leave each other, and Friedrich suggests that
they might be together till death. Still watching over her, Old Bones appears
to Constance and reminds her of her vows of love for him. Frightened, Constance
reaffirms her vows, but inwardly recalls the vows she made with Friedrich.
Pressured to choose between the men, she becomes confused and reluctant.
Sensing this Old Bones swears he will end Constance’s happiness if she doesn’t
leave Friedrich. Constance contemplates the choice before her and, because of
her devotion to her new love, chooses to spare Friedrich’s life by leaving him.
Believing Constance’s lies, Friedrich rejects her rejection and claims that he’d
rather be completely heartless than to ever feel love lost again. Friedrich
tries to understand why Constance left him as he was beginning to have faith in
love. Old Bones asserts that she left because Friedrich expected from Constance
what he couldn’t give: constancy. Old Bones reasons to Friedrich that love and
hope are vain, and in this he gets his revenge as Friedrich starts to unravel.
In his despair and abandoned by hope Friedrich takes his life. Constance
grieves the death of her second love, a death she inadvertently caused. On the
breeze she senses Friedrich’s voice and touch, which grants her understanding and
peace; the only thing Old Bones could take from her-her life-would now only
bring her closer to Friedrich. Florence comes to Friedrich’s grave, blaming
Constance for his death, claiming that the earth calls out for vengeance that she
will carry out. She confronts Constance, using guilt to torture Constance who
defends herself, contending there was nothing she could do to save Friedrich. Still
single-mindedly determined to destroy Constance’s will, Old Bones entices
Florence to carry out her vengeance and
persuading Constance to accept his protection in exchange for a renewing of her
vows. As a ghost, Friedrich sees the torment of his love and attempts to warn
and comfort her, attempting to convince her to act with caution. Constance
rejects Old Bones as Florence approaches with an axe. In an act of madness,
Constance kills Florence with a knife. Completely unstable, Constance tries to
rid herself of her demons; namely Old Bones. She digs up his grave, planning to
bury Florence next to her former lover. When she uncovers his grave she reaches
the ultimate depths of her own despair, lies down in the grave herself, and
determines to never live or love again.
The music for this opera was beautiful, haunting,
and
passionate. I was drawn in to the story from the first song. I’m so glad
I
finally got to see it. It was worth the admission price and then some.
They threw their hearts into the performance and I nearly fell in love
with Friedrich myself. They all had such presence on stage, you couldn't
help but be captivated. I'm so glad I finally got to see it. After the
performance I
got pictures and signatures of all the cast! They signed my program and
my
songbook. It was spectacular. And they liked my funeral attire. (being a
opera
that revolves around death it was the suggested dress for the event) I
have
pictures posted on my facebook, and once my friend email’s me the
pictures she
took of me you can see what I wore.
