O HOLY ART

A Tragic Opera in One Act by
James Nathaniel Holland


O Holy Art is a 1 Act Opera for small cast and chorus and orchestra. Baritone, Soprano and Bass are leads

(Duration: 1 hour)

BRIEF SYNOPSIS:

At a New Year's eve party, Cindy, a soprano, performs the piece of her friend, Djeno,
a highly talented but struggling, unknown composer. A famous composer at the party,
Gunter Strauss, offers to show Djeno's piece to his agent. The work is viciously
rejected, but reappears six months later as the hot, new item of the music world.
Except it is credited to Gunter.

Betrayed not only by fate but by his soprano friend as well, in dispair, Djeno kills
himself to end what, in his eyes, is a cylce of never ending failure.


SINGERS NEEDED:

Soprano (Lyric)
Baritone
Bass
Soprano
2 Tenors
Broadway Alto
Chorus SATB with minor roles 		ORCHESTRATION:

Picc, 2Fl, Ob, 2Bb Cl., 2Hns F, Tmpt, Tromb,
2 Percussion, Piano, Strings








FOR SALE TO PUBLIC:

Piano Vocal Score: $15.00 US
Reduced Orchestral Score: $40.00 US
Performance Rental with Parts: Please contact james@casaholanda.com



CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO HEAR Out-takes from the Opera:



Opening and Aria (Bartione)

New Year's Eve: Djeno (baritone) races in with a newly arrived package from the mail. It is a response from somebody he has submitted one of his compositions to. When he opens it, a broken case and crumpled falls out. Trying to ignore the rejection, he continues on with his composing.

Artists:  J.N. Holland, Standing in for Baritone / Garriton Orchestra



"O Holy Art" Soprano Aria

Temporarily at a loss for a soprano to sing this aria demo. (Art imitating life's realities?) Here is at least the music for the piece that is stolen.

Artists:  Garriton Orchestra



Duet: "Have a Seat"

Djeno (baritone) has his appointment with Gunter Strauss' agent (tenor). The agent bluntly and viciously dismisses Djeno as a composer and his work.

Artists: 
J.N. Holland,  as Djeno and Agent / Garriton Orchestra

Djeno's Suicide Scene

Discouraged again from another rejection, Djeno (baritone), catches a music interview on the radio with Gunter Strauss. They are discussing his latest, most popular work, "THE" Holy Art. The program plays an excerpt, and not only is the piece Djeno's, the soprano singing it is his friend Cindy. Betrayed, he cannot bear life anymore and kills himself by slitting his wrists with a knife.

Artists:  J.N. Holland, Standing in for Djeno (Baritone), Interviewer (Actor), and Gunter (Bass) 
/ Garriton Orchestra



Intermezzo: Pantomime

This Intermezzo is a break from the drama. Djeno has just killed himself, and his mother is given his things. Cindy and her friend enter his empty apartment, and Cindy cannot bear the guilt that she has caused this.

Orchestra:   Garriton Orchestra



All music samples are (c) copyrighted 2007, James Nathaniel Holland. Photos provided by the artists or taken from their websites.

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