FULL Lilith (Davis) San Diego 2009 Cynthia Aaronson-Davis, Susan Narucki, Ruff Yeager

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Lilith   
• Composer: Davis Anthony  
• Libretto: Allan Havis  
• Venue & Opera Company: Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, University of California, San Diego  
• Recorded: December 4, 2009
• Type: Concert Live
• Singers: Cynthia Aaronson-Davis, Susan Narucki, Ruff Yeager, Philip Larson, Jonah Davis
• Conductor: Alan Johnson  
• Orchestra: Instrumental Ensemble  
• Stage Director:   
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: University of California Television (UCTV)  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
• Subtitles: nosubs  
• Video Recording from: YouTube     FULL VIDEO
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Lilith is derived from the mythical first woman, Eve’s predecessor in
the Garden of Eden, and her insistence on equality with Adam. Rather
than compromise her status and her existential powers which rivaled the angels,
Lilith sprouts wings and flies away. In the Middle Ages, the threat of Lilith
was rendered darkly in various superstitions about child abductions and fears
of miscarriage – vengeful acts attributed to Lilith.

Davis’s opera moves between the ancient myth and a dangerous modern version
of the Adam/Eve/Lilith triangle, where Adam is rendered as an attorney named
Arnold, Eve contemporized as his wife Eppy, and Lilith becomes an interloper
named Claire who threatens their marriage and their young son. The opera
also addresses the ironic ever-changing image of Lilith through history, from the
mysterious, dark-haired, winged creature of ancient mythology to the irresistible
blonde sex goddess as portrayed in 20th century media ranging from Jean Harlow
and other Hollywood femme fatales to the rock stars Madonna and Shakira

Quote from Lilith the Opera